


Art of Betrayal

by Creeperdoodle



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Anal Sex, Angst, Battle, Betrayal, Blood Magic, Dark Fantasy, Dark Magic, Demonic Possession, Demons, Dominance, Drama, Elves, Enemies to Lovers, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Fantasy, Gay, Gay Male Character, Gay Sex, Gods, High Fantasy, Homosexuality, M/M, Magic, Magic-Users, Major Original Character(s), Male Homosexuality, Medieval, Mild Smut, Mutual Pining, Obsession, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Past Violence, Pining, Platonic Relationships, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Trauma, Redemption, Rimming, Royalty, Secret Identity, Secrets, Smut, War, Worldbuilding, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:07:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 103,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21656488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creeperdoodle/pseuds/Creeperdoodle
Summary: After an attack on the enemy capital reveals a larger conspiracy, Arcturian commander Varia finds himself in the company of his nemesis, Maddox. A forbidden and tenuous relationship blossoms between the two, threatened by the truth of Arcturus' betrayal and a dark secret. Two men plagued by war must put aside their hostilities in order to find peace.
Relationships: Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 10
Kudos: 35





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time ever posting any work. Any and all comments or suggestions are much appreciated! Thank you for reading!

Early morning mist arose from tall, green grass. Ancient trees bowed inward as if they slept. The soft glow of scattered fires illuminated the rolling hills. Small villages decorated the hills, sheep and cattle resting near their young. Stars dotted the dark sky, streaked with wisps of galaxies far beyond their own. Mountains rose in the east, a pink hue beginning to lighten the sky around them. The sun began it’s ascent. It was peaceful there, quiet.

  
  


Or it was.

  
  


Swords clanged loudly in the deep canopy of trees, men screaming, shouting orders. The darkness the night cast upon the lands had risen, tendrils of shadows whipped wildly as if they were alive, smashing against massive trees and downing them. Streaks of molten black decorated the ground where ever the shadows smashed, leaving blood and pieces of soldier spread across the grass. There were many soldiers, their spears steady, thrusting into the darkness around them. But the blades pierced nothing, the shadows turning into smoke with each thrust. Their target was not the shadows that tore their brothers to shreds around them, but the man known as the Demon of Arcturus. They needed to subdue _**him**_.

  
  


Blades flung from the darkness, the shadows thicker than the rest of the forest, clearly being fed with maliciousness. Men dropped left and right, blades from the dark, the shadows moved on their own accord. There were only two men fighting the soldiers, and those two men had already killed half of the unit.

  
  


“Come round! Don’t let them escape!” The men shouted.

  
  


The soldiers held lit torches in an attempt to snuff out the shadows. Some shadows retreated, but others too solid to be chased away. With light surrounding the soldiers now, the flash of icy blue eyes could be seen, burning out from the shadows at them. More soldiers rushed forward, their torches piercing the inky darkness, encircling the demon and his pet. They called in the mages, the men and women unused to combat. They stood back, tomes in hand, chanting and whispering their spells. They wore heavy cloaks, cover their faces, though they were mostly young men and women called in from the villages in the hills. Each mage produced a cloth, dipped in herbs and blessed. As they chanted, the cloth lifted into the air, strange characters burning into them. They attempted to trap the demon and his second in command in their circle, surrounding him with floating cloth. Talismans were crafted by mages, people who could heal and defend, but didn’t have raw strength like others with abilities. Most mages kept to the towns, crafting potions and healing injured travelers, yet sometimes, the mages would find their way into the military. They’d developed talismans long ago, a piece of paper with a defensive spell cast on it, a strong spell. The spells placed on the cloth were strong enough to completely rid any super soldier of their abilities. And Varia, the man known as the Demon of Arcturus, was not just any random super soldier, he was one of the most powerful men alive.

  
  


The mages stepped forward in unison, the infantry closed in on the commander and his second. The shadows ceased with every inch forward, the talismans working more than well enough. The smaller the circle of troops became, the more light was cast on their prize. There he stood, his second at his side. He looked like a feral beast, icy eyes reflecting the torch fire, wild and murderous. His second in command, Brom, stood behind him, back to back with his commander, his gaze calm as he assessed their predicament. Varia slashed out towards one of the spears, a wicked and curved blade in hand, smacking it to the side.

  
  


“Surrender, demon! There does not need to be anymore blood shed this day!” A soldier called from behind the light of the torches.

  
  


Varia’s grip tightened on his sword, his eyes sweeping over the soldiers, the mages behind them, subduing his powers. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple, his feet shifted against the grass, slick with blood. He would attack. He would attack over and over again until he died, or triumphed. He would win, he had to win. Failure was not an option. The Demon of Arcturus did not lose. He would paint Er Rai with their blood. He would blanket their people in darkness.

  
  


“I will bring Er Rai to heel with nothing but my sword and my will! I am Varia! I am the Demon of Arcturus!" Varia bellowed at the infantry encircling him. His hand gripped his sword, his knuckles white, his feet shifting back against dirt and fallen leaves, preparing to attack.

  
  


A gentle touch to his shoulder snapped Varia from his murderous thoughts. His eyes turned towards Brom, catching his soft brown eyes with his own sharp gaze. All blood lust left him, able to read the others gaze.

  
  


_We can’t_ _win this_. Varia’s rational mind returned. They stood there, surrounded. More soldiers crashed through the trees towards them. More and more mages were joining them. Varia lowered his gaze to his sword, allowing it to drop to his side, before he let it go. The moment Varia dropped his weapon, Brom dropped his daggers as well, lifting his hands in surrender.

  
  


The soldiers were hesitant to bind Varia and Brom, but with enough encouragement from their leaders, with the presence of the mages and their spells, they advanced on the men from Arcturus. They bound them in chains, heavy shackles weighing down Varia’s thin wrists. Talismans were places over every spare inch of metal, the Er Rian men taking no chances with the men who trespassed into their land.

  
  


And with that, the Demon of Arcturus and his Reaper were captured. Something that should have never happened, did. How had it come to this? How had the greatest warrior Arcturus had ever seen been captured? Why had he gone to Er Rai with only Brom? He was no mere foot soldier, he was the Demon of Arcturus, one of the titans of the world.

  
  


Born with a dark gift. A malevolent, odious gift. Varia struck dread in all who ever opposed him. Throughout the world, there were many special people like Varia. People who could craft a potion that could heal a wound in a day. People who could spark a flame with a flick of their wrist. Others, like Varia, could destroy countries with their abilities. He had been gifted with the powers of Yreyr, the demon god himself. He controlled darkness. He was capable of blanketing the world in shadows, and few could stop him. Arcturus had named him the best, the best they would ever have. Named the Demon of Arcturus, the shadow lurking behind the throne. He was everything Arcturus was and more. A honed sword that Arcturus would thrust at their enemies. No one was respected more than the Arcturian commander. Varia was their hero, the reason the people of Arcturus remained.

Arcturus was a vast country, frozen and dead. A thick layer of ice coated the grounds, an endless echo of fear and death always drifted on the wind. The strongest of people inhabited the lands, a breed of humans not phased by the constant struggle to live or the frost that forever threatened their lives. Arcturus couldn't grow crops, and only certain trade vessels were strong enough to pierce the ice of their shores. Arcturus built it’s fortune on war. The land had never been kind, and those who lived there were even less so. The isolated country had one purpose. Conquest. They preyed on smaller, weaker countries, stealing their resources and killing their opposition. Arcturus traded men for goods. The breeder program was their source of income. Men and women unable to fight in their military would contribute their bodies instead. Children were shipped off to the towers of the Vaalar at birth, produced solely for war. There, they vigorously trained from the moment they could walk. Trained to fight, to kill, to accept the violence that was born with every Arcturian. Varia was the face of the Breeders. He had risen so very far, and became so good at what they used him for. Breeders weren't meant to be how he became. Children lived in the towers dreaming of the day they could challenge Varia for his position and rank. Without him, Arcturus would have fallen long ago. Yet, despite all he had done for them, despite who he was and what he meant to the people, Arcturus itself feared him.

Varia should have known, the moment the Arcturian council sent him to Er Rai without a full regiment of men. Distrust was beaten into him, but his loyalty remained strong. Arcturus was all he ever knew. The Arcturian military, **_his_** military, the Legion, became the family he never had. Arcturus gave him a purpose, the council needed him. When his superior ordered him to go with Brom, his second in command, alone, he should have known. Instead he went willingly, and he had stumbled upon an ambush. Instead of killing the Demon of Arcturus, they took he and Brom hostage instead. He shouldn’t have been surprised, but he was. Varia never meant to be what he had become. Even for a place that prized military prowess over everything, there was no place for people who didn't know how to keep their head down. Varia was too much everything Arcturus wanted. Varia commanded too much power and influence in the military. He was to be feared. The Arcturian government, the council, was too young to consider conceding its power. Steel was not suppose to have emotions, weapons had no need for hearts. Arcturus didn’t forgive. No failure, no compassion, only duty, war, and death.

Varia and Brom were paraded through a small camp like trophies. The camp wasn’t impressive. It sat in a vast field, not anyplace Varia would have taken high profile hostages himself. The camp was unguarded by terrain, no mountains, no trees to shelter them. But that had it’s advantages as well, especially if this was used as a staging point. For every potential enemy that could see the post, the soldiers could see them as well. It would be impossible to take by surprise, but not impossible to surround. Varia scoffed at the encampment. But the deeper into the forest of tents they moved, the reason why they had come to this place became clear to him. Elven ruins stood in the center of the camp, stone rising into the blue sky, and dipping deep into the soft earth. There the soldiers built their cells.

Er Ria'an soldiers sneered and spat at the men who caused so much death the past decade. They were high profile captives, two men who should have never been caught, in theory. Yet there they were, thrown into small, individual cells, with other prisoners of war. Their cells were covered in talismans as was Varia. They blanketed his cell, and covered his shackles. This outpost was more than ready for someone such as him, they waited for him. It was almost insulting to someone like Varia. For someone so small, his arrogance was nearly as large as the shadow he cast. He did not need his abilities to be dangerous. They certainly helped, but he had not gotten as far as he did relying on his powers alone.

Varia had been small at birth, so small he had nearly been cast out onto the ice and destroyed. Something had stayed the Vaalars hand, and he was taken to the Tower of Nazapul, where he began training to kill before he could even speak. 'What a shame', they all said. 'You could have made more money warming the beds of soldiers.' Varia's attractiveness was something he had struggled with his entire military career. He stood no more than an inch or two higher than five feet. Deep black hair brushed his shoulders, as dark as the shadows he wielded. And his eyes. No one had ever seen eyes so piercing. The lightest shade of blue, nearly white, imitated the ice of the lands he fought for, a stark contrast to his dark hair. And the hate that gaze held could stop a man dead in his tracks. A scowl always graced his sharp features. He had to conquer his appearance to become the Demon of Arcturus. He trained harder than the rest, lashed out in violence more often, spilled blood as many times as he could. Soon his looks had left the minds of the people of Arcturus, replaced instead with awe at his conquests. It had been one of his longest battles, one that many would not understand. By becoming the Demon of Arcturus, he had to shed the beautiful face he possessed and replace it with something fiendish instead.

Two days passed. Varia sat in his cell, head leant back against the cold wall, carved with whorls and ancient elven text. He spent his days in captivity staring at the characters, trying to make sense of them. But elves no longer lived in Arcturus freely. Varia was learned - for a breeder. Elvish was not a language many could speak or read outside of the isolated elvish communities that now existed elsewhere. Varia spent the first full day there, tracing the patterns, committing them to memory. They meant nothing to him, no more than drawings on the wall. But despite Arcturus’ greatest efforts, they could not remove his fascination with the world outside of the ice.

He long gave up trying to decipher what the writings meant, now he sat, attempting to plot an escape. The prison slowly filled up. Petty criminals. Thieves, mostly. No one near his level of importance. He wondered who they had contacted. He must have been kept alive for some reason. Perhaps **_HE_** was on his way. The hero of Er Rai, his nemesis. That would be just his luck. The other prisoners bickered and whispered, raking their tin cups along the metal bars, shouting at the guards, weeping. His eyebrows furrowed, his mouth turned down into scowl. He would surly go mad if he had to wait any longer, sitting in here with men like these. He wanted to smash his head into the wall, to clear his head, to draw a guard into his cell. Anything, so long as he got some goddamn quiet. His hands slipped up to cup around his ears, fingers tangling in his own hair. “Shut up… for Gods sake, shut up!” he nearly shouted.

He sat, not able to think of a plan to escape. Instead, he took to brooding. Sitting in the corner of his cell, his legs pulled to his chest, his cheek resting against the wall. His eyes focused on the markings before him. However, as his ear rested against the stone wall, he heard something. Something faint, but certain. His lips pursed, before he rose to his feet. He held his hand up as if to shush someone, though nothing would truly have stopped the criminals from their incessant arguing. He knew that sound... The sounds of death filled his ears. Screams of men, blades slicing through flesh. The base was under attack. Varia narrowed his eyes, his relief flooded him.

_Of course they’d come for_ _me_ _. The_ _council wouldn’t_ _leave_ _me_ _to die._ _I am_ _Varia._ _I am the greatest commander Arcturus has seen. I’m_ _one of the only soldiers Arcturus d_ _oesn’t_ _consider expendable_.

As the sounds of fighting grew closer, he moved to the cell door, leaning his cheek against it, trying to get a good view of the door. The door to the prison was kicked open moments later, rotted wood shattering off of hinges. Two soldiers entered the prison. Two Arcturian soldiers.

A sigh of relief left Varia, his lips turning up briefly as he recognized the men. He trained them himself and recognized them from one of his former units. He stepped forward, his arms outstretched, welcoming his own rescue. Before he had a chance to greet the men, they were already in front of his cell. It took Varia only a moment to notice that they were armed, a crossbow aimed directly at his chest, as well as Brom. For a moment Varia was still, and all was quiet. His eyes turned to Brom, before back to the man before him. His brows furrowed in realization.

_They_ _are_ _not here to save_ _me..._ _they_ _are_ _here to silence_ _me_.

As that sunk in, his gaze grew cold once more, all hope, all surprise fading away. He couldn’t hear anything, he couldn’t see anything except the man before him. The crossbow loaded, the bolt aimed to pierce his heart. The Arcturus colors of the mans armor burned his eyes, the sigil on his chest was blinding. A sigil Varia also wore.

Varia didn’t have a chance to react, before the man was dead. The soldier who had aimed at him was thrown to the side with such a force he rag dolled. Blood sprayed from a deep and clean slice to his side. The blood spattered across Varias cheek and nose causing him to rear back, away from the bars of his cell. The soldier was dead, the second man was apprehended by Er Rai soldiers, but Varias eyes were focused on the man who had drawn on him.

_Ewal, that was his name._ Varia thought, his inner voice bitter. He hadn’t seen the boy in years.

Ewal’s face twisted in horror, a silent scream permanently etched on his blood soaked face. The red from his wound was seeping under the door, soaking the bottoms of Varias boots.

_What did I do? Why would Arcturus send someone to kill me? Why not liberate me?_

His eyes drifted from the mans face, down his blood stained armor, and to his wound. A clean cut, straight through the soft spot of the metal armor Ewal wore. The blade passed into his side, and straight through his heart. Varias scowl darkened as a familiar voice boomed through the prison cells.

"You’re not as important as you thought, Varia."

Varia turned to the door, the light filtering in caused him to wince. Silhouetted in the door way was none other than the Hero of Er Rai. Maddox. Er Rais captain. The only man he couldn’t seem to kill. Heavy boots stepped over the body of Varias own soldier as the man stepped in front of Varias cell. Varia was easily dwarfed by the man, and Maddox so loved to remind him of that. As Maddox drew close to the bars, he slumped down, placing hands on his knees as he exaggerated his crouch, now face to face with the commander. "Now tell me. Why would Arcturus want their own, precious commander dead?"

Maddox was built like a god. Tall, muscular, but not overly so. Deep pools of green shone with ill intent and mystery from a bronzed face. His jaw was chiseled, his nose was strong, high cheekbones and a flashy smile that was certain to cause women and men alike to melt. His hair had been dark when he was young, but living for years in Er Rai and Nihal, the harsh sun had lightened it. It was unkempt, but in that attractive way that made tavern wenches swoon. He was every bit the hero Er Rai claimed him to be. His broad shoulders blocked the light from the outside as he stood before Varia, raising to his full height. It never hurt to remind the little demon how much smaller he was.

“You’ll want to watch those bodies. That one is rather proficient in pilfering bodies for useful means of escape and killing.” Maddox said absently to his second in command as he entered the building. He gestured in the direction of Brom as he spoke. His second in command came from Nihal, the desert country to the west. More than a second, Sabre was Maddox’s best friend. Sabre gave Maddox a nod, though his golden eyes asked why Maddox had done that.

Maddox wasn't sure why he had saved the brat. Varia wouldn’t be grateful for the gesture and having Varia alive definitely proved more troublesome than if he had died. Had it been pride that had spurred him? He had always been hot-headed and short-sighted compared to others. More than likely he had just reacted to seeing the enemy invading, regardless of who their target was. But while Maddox was a lug head in many ways he knew himself well. He reacted on instinct and charged after the enemy. He had a powerful need to protect others. These things had contributed to him killing the soldier that had aimed at Varia. But that hadn’t been the reason he had saved him.

“You know, it becomes a lot harder for me to take credit for claiming your head if your own country is out for it as well. Not that I expect you to tell me the truth of why that is. Maybe they just realized it was ridiculous to have a dwarf as their star player….” Maddox said, rising to his full height and taking stock of the prison.

Varia had likely been brought here because it was little known and not a likely place for spies to look, but clearly that plan had backfired.

“We’re taking them back to the capital. At least if someone comes looking there it wont be a slaughter. We’ll move any other prisoners of note as well.” Maddox said to Sabre in Er Rain. “And here I thought we could finally have a visit where you weren’t dragged into battle.” Maddox shook his head at his friend as his eyes fell again on Brom, narrowing slightly for a moment.

Sabre thought the same, that much was evident from the expression on his face. Both he and Maddox had known better. Sabre had visited for a very specific reason. He was a senior intelligence office from Nihal. Not to mention 52nd in line for the crown, but that didn’t matter. He would never be king, nor did he desire to be. The Navari family was massive, no doubt Sabre’s taste for multiple partners stemming from his blood line. He had only arrived to Emeriss several days prior with a small detachment of men. He and Maddox worked together more often than not, and he had planned to stay. His trip home had been brief, to attend a wedding for some cousin he had never met. His father was an important man, and despite trying his hardest to put an ocean between him and his father, General Navari had demanded it so. And thank the Gods he had. Maddox relied heavily on the information the spies from the great, desert country provided.

Sabre had traveled to the prisons, as he often did. Varia’s campaign focused primarily in Nihal, and lately he had been pushing south once more, losing land he had previously gained. It was a strange move, one he didn’t understand, but hoped to. Varia was generally quite aware of his men who were injured and he rarely left anything except corpses behind, but this movement south had been…. Sloppy. Compared to Varia’s continued aggression in the east, it was unusual. They had found several injured soldiers left behind, not killed. That was the first sign that Varia wasn’t even in Nihal. The second had been less a sign and more an absolute. Being abandoned by ones own general did nothing for loyalty, and one of the men had been eager to give away everything he knew about the situation. Varia had been pulled from his command post weeks ago, a green general taking his place. It explained the sudden retreats and loss of ground. That wasn’t anything unusual. Varia was an important man, he would often be called back to Arcturus for a number of political endeavors. He was their hero after all, and their high commander.

The weapon. That was what had concerned Sabre, and that’s what he returned to discuss with Maddox. A great weapon, whispers of it had been passed through Arcturian ranks, and this soldier had heard them. He didn’t know what it was, how it worked, or even if the rumors were true. Arcturus kept most things close to the chest, so the fact he knew anything at all was impressive. The war had almost grown desperate. Varia and Maddox both refused to give ground. With either of them alive, the war would likely never end. It would make sense Arcturus would find a way past him, besides Varia. It had been ten years and both men were quite evenly matched. This weapon could speed up an Arcturus invasion.

He had left immediately. Sabre couldn’t have known if the weapon was real, but hearing Varia was in Er Rai with only Brom at his side was enough to convince him. Varia WAS a weapon already, it only made sense if he had something to do with this information. With Varia and Brom both alive and captive… everything suddenly seemed to be falling into place.

Sabres eyebrows raised as Maddox spoke to him, his immediate protest caught in his throat as he considered the possibilities. Maddox knew what he was thinking. Sabre didn’t give much indication of what went on inside his mind, but Maddox knew the man well enough to know what he thought. Bringing Varia to the capital was madness. The little psycho was more than capable of completely eradicating the royal family, and parading him into the great walls of Emeriss was practically gift wrapping the city for him. Sabre opened his mouth to argue with the captain, but he caught himself once again. He shot a glare in the direction of their prisoners, before he took the captains arm, stepping outside of the prison with him.

“Are you mad? Taking those two to the capital is crazy. What happens if the little psycho escapes? Then Emeriss burns with him leading the charge.” Sabre had never met Varia, or his second in command. If he had, it was unlikely he'd be standing there today. He was capable of combat, and fairly efficient, but he wasn’t bred for battle like Maddox and Varia were. If Varia escaped, their only chance would be Maddox. Maddox was fully capable of stopping Varia, but the impressive captain hadn’t been able to kill him. Where ever Varia went, there was carnage. Emeriss was a beacon, a shining example of what wealth and military could accomplish. The walls were high, the city was alive, and people were happy. The city had never been taken, not by anyone. Emeriss was impenetrable, but allowing that man, that killer into the walls would mean destruction. Sabre had learned long ago to trust his gut, and the unsettling feeling of dread that was swirling inside of him was too strong to ignore. Something would happen, something they wouldn’t be able to recover from.

“The only other place to take them is Lyons, but that means going through the light forest where we will surely lose them. The road to the capital is mostly flat terrain, not ideal for an assassin and fugitive to try to escape across. We may not like it but it’s the only option. Besides, I think the king and queen took the princess to the coast for her birthday.” Maddox assured his second in command as their prisoners were escorted out. To be honest, Varia slaughtering the royal family was the least of Maddox’s concerns. Varia, in Maddox’s experience, was a sword to be pointed at the enemy before you. Like Maddox, Varia was power, not subtlety. This was too elaborate a plot if it was one intended to deceive them. No, Varia’s surprised was real, which meant the betrayal was real. Varia wasn't likely to try and do Arcturus any favors. If it was just Brom, Maddox would agree, but this was something else.

"Very well.... But let's hurry. I don't like the idea of traveling with him when the sun sets." Sabre said, watching the two men as they were loaded. Traveling with Varia at night, with that sneak of a second in command could turn into a blood bath.

Varia hadn’t moved as several soldiers moved to his cell, the door swinging open as they moved on him. They didn’t release his bindings, nor remove the talismans that subdued his powers. They drug him from his cell, reminding him once more he was no longer in control. His eyes burned into sabre and Maddox as he was taken to them. He flinched at the light, a hiss leaving his lips as he was pushed into a mobile cell, one drawn by horses. The cell consisted of only him, Brom, and two other captives. Apparently the only ones worth anything. His gaze moved down towards the bloody body of the soldier as he was forced to step over him, his gaze darkening as his eyes focused on the sigil the man wore. His own sigil suddenly felt so heavy, burning into his flesh, reminding him of all he had done for the country he came from. Why had they done this? If they could send a man in to murder him, they could have sent a man in to free him. What had he possibly done to warrant such a betrayal? Did they think he'd defect? Did they no longer trust him to keep the horrors he'd witnessed to himself? The possibilities were endless, but despite how his mind raced, trying to find any reasonable excuse for Arcturus, the fact remained. There was no mistake, there was no misunderstanding. Arcturus had meant to kill him, after all this time.

A small hand clenched into a fist against his bindings, his gaze raising to focus on his second in command. For a moment, his gaze seemed accusing, as if he knew it had to be Broms fault. It was brief, his sharp gaze became hollow once more. He had been warned by many. Varias influence traveled far in Arcturus, and honestly, it was a wonder that they had found a soldier willing to kill the small man. Many people had warned Varia that the loyalty and respect he commanded would be seen as a threat to his tyrannical country. He had disregarded their words. Despite the loyalty of the Legion to him, his loyalty was strong, unbreakable. He’d committed unspeakable acts in the name of Arcturus. He was not competition for the country. At least he hadn’t meant to be. Realizing that he was as expendable as every other soldier made his stomach twist with anger, his deep rage burning brighter than ever as he considered just how easily it must have been for his country to turn on him. His anger was just, and the rage he had lived with his entire life had suddenly shifted towards those who had made him this way. Even if he managed to escape the clutches of his nemesis, he had no where to go anymore. He was a wanted man in every country, but his own.

“Forgive me, this is my fault.” Brom said under his breath to Varia as the cart got under way. “You should have killed me before...because they hadn’t come for us until now and your influence in the south….I’m sorry I didn't anticipate this.” Varias lips had drawn into a tight line, his usual scowl dark on his features as he sat still, his small body lurching as the horses began to pull their mobile cage. He could feel the eyes of Maddox and Sabre burning into his back, knowing both men likely knew what was happening in his mind. He'd never imagined such a betrayal. He'd given everything to Arcturus, he was their sword. His rage had found a new target, wanting nothing more than to watch Arcturus burn before him. But even then, even after a blatant assassination attempt, he knew his rage wouldn’t last, not towards Arcturus. As Brom spoke to him, Varia remained quiet. The man's words hardly made him flinch, but he took them in. His influence in the south... It was true, Varia commanded thousands of men, and had their trust and loyalty. He wasn't unforgiving, but he produced results, which is what mattered to them.

"How could you have convinced me of such a betrayal, even if you had foreseen It? I would have never listened." He finally replied. The things he knew, the things he'd witnessed and been a part of in Arcturus could make the country crumble before him. Arcturus had always been wise in choosing enemies, so why had they only sent two men after him? He was the Demon of Arcturus, one of the great titans of their time. He was not an enemy one would willingly choose.

It was true, Brom probably couldn't have convinced Varia of Arcturus’ betrayal. Varia, before now, had supreme confidence in his place and mutual loyalty between himself and Arcturus. Which made Brom pause in his actions a moment before continuing, speaking even softer. “Are we sure it was actually Arcturus?” Brom questioned, though his tone indicated that he didn't really have a doubt. The timing seemed random and Maddox’s arrival too well timed. Perhaps they had both jumped to conclusions they had been set up to.

“Perhaps this is a ploy. A trick to make us think we’ve been betrayed and to divulge information.” It was a long shot, but they had to exhaust every possibility. Brom had little love for Arcturus itself, but neither was he keen to get into bed with their enemy. “I didn't recognize the soldiers. We only assume they are Arcturian because of the uniform...but as we’ve seen, it would not be hard for our enemies to get a few uniforms and pretend…” The only question was whether they believed Maddox would sacrifice his own soldiers for such a ploy. “Maddox may not have been informed….strengthen the ploy…” Brom murmured to his commander. “We should be cautious in what we say, wait until we have more concrete…”

“So, the mighty do fall.” Broms words were cut off as one of the other prisoners slid closer and threw an arm around Brom’s shoulders, trapping him as the man’s wrists were still shackled. “I hear ya’ll some big bad generals...but here you are with the common thieves and thugs. I ‘spose you all are killers, eh? Dunno how such pretty things like you could be so important you need such fancy jewelry.” The prisoner spoke, his bound hands reaching forward to pat the talisman on Varia’s wrist.

"I would be willing to agree Arcturus wasn't behind this if I hadn't recognized the man that pulled a crossbow on me." The small man said, icy eyes shifting up and focusing on the backs of the captain and his brunette friend. "Regardless, Arcturus may believe I'm expendable, but with the situation we've found ourselves in, we have the best opportunity we could ask for. We don't want to seem too complacent. I don't want Maddox suddenly realizing he's handing the royal family over to me on a silver platter, not yet." Varias hellish gaze shifted back, now focused on the thief who had so boldly spoken to them. "I'm sure he doesn't expect me to come so quietly."

In an instant Varias boot has smashed into the other prisoners chest, a sickening crunch echoing out as the man's sternum cracked. The prisoner gasped, his grip on Brom loosening immediately, his arms reaching around himself to try and defend against the tiny man, but it was too late. Varia was on him in a moment, his knees pinning the man against the floor of their caged carriage, Varia’s shackles clanging loudly as he smashed his fists into the criminals face. Blood splattered upwards, the man coughing and sputtering, before Varia’s hands found themselves around the mans neck.

Brom leaned out of the thief’s grasp as Varia attacked him, seeming completely at ease with his commanders violence. The other prisoner was squeezed into a corner, trying to avoid the melee as much as possible. Whatever designs that one had, it did not include helping his fellow thief or causing a ruckus with Brom and Varia.

Sabre turned the moment the struggle began, pulling the carriage horses to a stop. "Goddamnit!" He shouted. The envoys guards rushed forward, one man shoving a key into the door, no doubt thinking he could break up the brawl. Sabre leapt from the carriage, grasping the man's shoulders and yanking him back. "Don't open it, are you mad?!" He snapped, before turning to watch. The thief’s eyes were wide, focused on Sabre and Maddox, bulging from his face. His flesh had already begun to turn purple, his legs kicking wildly beneath Varias hips, but to no avail. Varia was strong, especially for his size. He had learned quickly that overpowering another man in hand to hand combat was near suicide, instead relying on being faster than his opponent. Even now, the man was much larger than him, thin, but taller, Varia was easily able to drop the man. With a broken sternum, and the shock of such a sudden attack, Varia had taken the man down with hardly any effort. As he squeezed the life from his victim, Varias eyes were wide, like a predator closing in on its helpless prey. The darkness swirling behind a normally calm and attractive gaze caused a chill to run down Sabres spine. He could hear the man choking, the jerking of his legs lessening to mere twitches, his eyes blood red as his vessels popped. Sabre turned to Maddox, his eyebrows furrowed.

"We can't take him out of there.... not here and especially not in the capital." Any other pair would have rushed to the cage, tried to break the two men apart, even open the cage to get them out. But though the guards did rush the cage and fumble with the keys with intent to pull the men out and apart, Sabre stayed their hands. The guards clearly were unsure about this choice, trained to believe that every prisoner was important, if only for the bounty on their heads. The thief in question seemed to have a pretty hefty one, considering how distressed everyone looked about it. Except Maddox, of course. The male seemed nonplussed that a person was being strangled right before him. They were seriously going to let the man die before they opened the cage. Well, it was probably a good plan, considering.

Maddox had been relaxed during the brawl, only looking to Sabre as the man harshly spoke to him. It was clear enough to anyone that Sabre was most uncomfortable traveling with the two. So, with a bothered sigh, Maddox strode towards the cell. “Now now, Varia, that’s enough. You’ve proved your point. He’s not worth as much dead and I’ll get reprimanded besides. Be a good boy and let him go would you?” Maddox said as he took a dagger from his belt and pointed it at Varia’s arms. But as he spoke he didn't look at Varia but at Brom. Varia wouldn’t give a shit about his words, and Maddox knew that. He also knew that getting his commander hurt and putting him at a disadvantage was not something Brom was keen on.

As a white power swirled along Maddox’s blade, Brom moved forward to grab Varia’s shoulders, pulling him back slightly, his lips near his commanders ear. “If they are too wary of us we wont find an opening.” Brom whispered so only Varia could hear, keeping an eye on the blade in Maddox’s hand. “Maddox also fully intends to shatter your arms just to make a point. We don't want to be any more at their mercy.” Brom added, for he saw the same feral glee in Maddox’s eyes as was likely in Varia’s. Even if it meant blasting apart the head of the very prisoner Maddox claimed was so valuable, he would gladly suffer the reprimand if it meant causing damage to Varia and distress to Brom. So he was disappointed when Brom coaxed Varia away, his eyebrow cocking in amusement as Varia shoved the man into the floor, flopping back to sit in his seat, his posture reeking of a teenage attitude. Maddox turned to Sabre, patting him on the back. “Don't worry so much, you’ll give yourself ulcers. We still have another little lamb for the tiger here to vent his anger on.” Maddox said, winking at Varia. “Besides, it’s not like we betrayed him. He might be ready to have a proper conversation by the time we get home.”

Sabre groaned as Maddox spoke, rubbing the back of his neck. "Gods, little psycho is going to give me an aneurysm before we get to the capital." He grumbled, glaring over his shoulder at the two men. Brom met his gaze. Sabre held it for a moment, before he looked to Maddox. "Its a shit idea still, but... the sooner we get to the capital, the better. The last thing we need is psycho one and psycho two getting the upper hand. I'll feel much better inside the walls of Emeriss, with the bulk of your military." Sabre grumbled, glancing towards Varia briefly as they began the train once more.

The caravan continued, and gave Varia plenty of time to think. That was never something he was allowed, time to think. Brom was right. He had to try to remain calm, something he had often struggled with. In Arcturus, there was no such thing as a childhood. Boys never had a chance to learn to keep their anger in check, in fact, they were encouraged to lash out with extreme violence. Varia remembered those days fondly, despite how horrific that was. But it was the only time he had ever received any form of positive attention, even borderline affection from any adult in his life growing up. Varia had been the best of them all, not just in his sector, but spanning across the country he was known for his violence. Lashing out was a way for him to gain himself small acts of kindness, like an extra ration at dinner, or an extra blanket during the especially frigid nights. But what he craved the most, was the silent looks of approval. The nods and excited whispers the adults shared whenever he was especially vicious. Even now, with a decent education and a general understanding of his abuse, even as a grown man, he still viewed those moments as some of his greatest. Arcturus had seen a great potential in him, even at an early age. He had taken the country by storm, overcoming his obstacle, smashing the assumption that because he was small, he was weak. It was part of his notoriety in Arcturus, part of the reason he was regarded so highly... or at least, used to be. He was a hero, someone other children in breeder facilities would look up to, whispers of his conquests would echo down hallways across the country, and even in other places. He had been so important, his face was plastered on propaganda posters, his techniques used to train new soldiers. Now he was here, in a country he had vowed to destroy, in a small cell with a half dead thief, treated as if he was some common criminal, and his country had made their stance on the matter perfectly clear. But what would he do, if he even escaped?

It was a long walk to the capital and Sabre set a grueling pace. He wasn't kidding about wanting to get there as quickly as possible and put those two behind sturdier bars. Maddox was less concerned, instead worrying over why Varia had come into his grasp in the first place. For how angry Varia was, it didn't seem to be a trap laid by him. Varia was good at a great many things, but acting wasn't one of them, not that Maddox had ever seen. So if this was a trap then it was one that was using Varia without his knowledge. Which meant Brom probably also didn't know anything, for Maddox couldn't see the assassin participating in such a farce without letting Varia know. Which meant Arcturus had more than likely abandoned the two, or had some plan which necessitated that appearance. Whether or not Arcturus planned to reclaim the general and assassin, a plan that discarded Varia so easily was one to be wary of. Maddox pulled one of the courier bird from its cage and whispered a message to it before sending it off. He would put the capital on guard just in case and have them gather more intel for him. If Brom was here then it was likely something big and not at all requiring much finesse or stealth. Hopefully something like that would have made waves enough that his spies would be able to pick up something.

Maddox came up along side the cage, smacking it behind Varia. “Sulking still? You should be honored. All the greatest of evil countries have it turn against them. You should see this as them acknowledging your skill. But I suppose that you wont sit and die quietly for that small bit of acknowledgment?” Maddox’s eyes slid to Brom who glared back, wary of where this conversation was going. Maddox smirked and Brom tensed even more. “Besides, it’s not like you didn't know you were in bed with traitors and liars from the start. Perhaps you would like to make an honest start? Make Arcturus feel the pain as well? It’s not betraying them if they cast you out first.”

The glare Varia had cast over his shoulder at Maddox was seething with pure hate. He knew better than to give into taunts and prodding from the enemy, and even though Maddox made a point, the condescending tone the captain took any time the two men exchanged words was infuriating. "I don't plan on dying just yet, Captain." He spat out at the man, shifting his small frame away from the bars, distancing himself from Maddox. As Varia rebuffed his offer, Maddox turned his attention to his worry-wart second. “At this rate we’ll need to set camp.” Sabre spoke as he nodded to a smaller group of guards, only four of them as they moved towards the capital ahead of the caravan. Maddox frowned at the prospect of setting up camp, not wanting to be out of his warm bed another day more than necessary. But as he looked to the darkening sky he had to agree. It was getting late quickly, ominous clouds gathering in the distance in the direction of the capital. Maddox sucked his teeth in annoyance before climbing atop the cage housing Varia and Brom, looking around. Double annoyance. There were few ideal places to camp in this area with a forest to their left and rock faces to their right. “What do you think, mister Assassin? Cliffs or forest for camp?” Maddox asked the male below him, squatting down closer to the other.

Varia turned his gaze from the never-ending fields to Brom instead, trying to figure out if the general was going to do something concerning. He considered for a moment lashing out. He could almost reach Maddox, but that wouldn’t work. The prat was standing atop the bars precisely because he knew there was nothing productive to be had in attacking him there now. Brom turned his gaze to Varia briefly. Varia caught the look, before he turned his head away once more, deciding instead to resume his brooding, but he had an idea or two. The forest was clearly ideal in that the shadows would be deeper and thus easier for Varia to control. When they got loose as well it would be easier to muffle Broms own footsteps and for them to hide than on the cliffs. On the cliffs as well Maddox’s power could have more devastating effect if used on the rocks themselves. By the same token Brom could make easier use of rocks himself to make a weapon. Well, he could use a tree branch too but it would take more time.

“I vote the cliffs if I were you. Wouldn’t want to be caught in a dark forest with a demon after all.” Brom said with a smirk, wondering if Maddox would take his suggestion as genuine or not. Maddox stroked his stubble in contemplation. “Mmmm, I agree. The forest would be best.” Maddox said, straightening despite Brom’s look of bafflement. “Sabre, let’s set camp around the next bend a little ways in.” Maddox called to the other, jumping down from the cage and heading over to the other. He knew it sounded nuts considering the cons of the forest, but it wasn’t a random choice nor one to be contrary. Between the cliffs and the forest, the forest was still the safer of the two. The cliffs, apart from being crumbly, was incredibly windy this time of year and would make it hard to start a fire and speak to one another. Besides, it wasn't like the forest didn't have its share of creatures not common to the colder Arcturian wilds. They could try escaping if they wanted, but they might find it safe to stick with Maddox and his troops than traipsing through a foreign wilderness.

Sabre had listened to Maddox, despite his protest swelling in his chest. Brom was absolutely right, he did not want to be caught in the forest with Varia, especially at night. But Maddox knew Varia better than he ever would. Despite the fact every encounter they had ever being murderous, Maddox had known the little demon for years. They had exchanged many words, and could read one another like a book. If Maddox felt safer in the forest, even with the demon of Arcturus in their party, Sabre would comply. Just beyond the path was a small clearing. Not small enough to park the rolling cell, but large enough to start a fire and even sleep. Once they had finished setting up, Sabre allowed himself to finally sit. He sat across the fire from the cell, making sure his eyes remained on the pair lurking just beyond the orange glow. A heavy sigh left his lips, as if the greatest stress had just been removed from his shoulders. As the two guards they had left moved off in search for food, Sabre craned his neck around to eyeball Maddox. "Think little psycho will talk?" He mused, though he already knew the answer to that. Maddox met his question with a smirk and a cock of the eyebrow. “Go on. Try.” Sabre’s golden eyes met ice from across the fire, his attention leaving Maddox as the other moved towards the cage.

Sabre tilted his head as he watched that hateful gaze follow the captain, a hand reaching up to rub against his short beard briefly. "I'd always thought you'd be taller." He called out suddenly, causing Varias eyes to shift from Maddox to him. Varia felt a ball of anger well in his chest, something not uncommon to him. A crooked grin spread across Sabres lips as Varia reacted to him. It wasn't much, but being able to tear his concentration away from trying to murder Maddox with his eyes was enough for Sabre. "Why would Arcturus try and have you killed, Varia?" Varias scowl darkened, a huff leaving his nose. He had a million answers to that question, but none he was certain on. One stood out above the rest, though. That same warning Brom had given him so long ago. But he wasn't dumb, and he knew the Nihalian wasn't either. He knew Sabre could piece it together, if he hadn't already. Instead of providing an answer for the man, he turned his gaze away once more, watching the flickering shadows dancing across the ground. "Perhaps you aren't as effective as you used to be. Becoming soft in your old age." It was a blatant jab, not even half true. Varias cruelty knew no bounds, and only seemed to worsen every year. But he was old... at least for a commander working for Arcturus. They usually were dead by now, and usually by Maddox’s hand. Yet here he was, a living, breathing devil.

Maddox, for his part, perched atop the cage once more, throwing a soft pack under his butt for cushion. He polished his sword as the others searched for provisions and Sabre harassed the prisoners. Maddox seriously could not understand how someone as easily rattled as Varia had managed to stay alive so long and get as high a rank as he had. Then again, Maddox wasn’t very much different when put around the right set of people, so maybe he understood all too well. It was that short temper that gave Varia his violence, after all. A similar temper fueled Maddox’s power most of the time, though it was harder to intentionally make it flare. Maddox wasn’t sure if that made him more or less dangerous to others. As the sun crept further down the horizon and the shadows grew around them, Maddox finished cleaning his sword and plunged it between the bars until the hilt caught on the top. It was long enough to almost go through to the bottom. Maddox leaned down on it gently, smiling as it vibrated very slightly. “More than likely they got tired of him losing to me all the time.” Maddox suggested, smirking down at the angry Arcturians. “In case it wasn’t clear, any funny business on your parts will result in an unpleasantly messy death and thus an end to our little game of cat and mouse.” Maddox informed the two below him.

Varia couldn't help himself this time. Being Maddox’s prisoner was bad enough, but the mans constant taunts had begun to wear on his already short temper. "Losing to you?" Varia hissed, craning his neck upwards to scowl up at Maddox. "I have never lost to you. I'm a living, breathing example of your own weakness, Maddox." Sabre chuckled to himself, prodding at the fire as Varia finally spoke. Maddox had an infuriating way about him, especially if he targeted someone individually, like he seemed to do with Varia. It maybe appeared to be all in fun, but Sabre knew better. Varia was right, Maddox hadn’t been able to kill Varia. Yet, Varia had never been able to kill Maddox. The two men were constantly at a stand still, something that not only seemed to frustrate Varia, but most likely frustrated Maddox as well.

"Look Varia. Maddox mentioned it before, but we're willing to give you a chance to help bring Arcturus down. We wouldn't offer that to just an--"

"Shut up." Varia snapped over his shoulder, cutting Sabre off, before he glared up at Maddox once more. "If you're going to kill us, get on with it. I'd much rather be buried than to have to listen to you and your little friend any longer."

Maddox grinned a crooked grin down at Varia, his eyes darkening. “Well that’s not incentive for me to kill you is it? I’d much rather inconvenience and annoy you with taunts. If you want to be killed you’re going to have to work a little harder for it. Perhaps I haven’t killed you yet because you’re still too weak for me to bother with.” Maddox suggested, knowing it was a lie. But he couldn’t tell Varia the real reason he hadn’t killed him, even when he had the opportunity. True that Varia was strong as the devil and much of the time they were evenly matched. But there had been very key times where Varia could have dealt the killing blow or else Maddox could have. The reason they were still alive to taunt and haunt each other’s careers, had little to do with the ability of one or the other. But unless Varia defected, the truth could not be revealed. Maddox too had things he needed to protect and as long as Varia professed to be his sworn enemy, Maddox had to keep hoping the other died in other suspicious circumstances. “While you’re taunting then could you also provide food and water? This climate is not exactly cool for being carted around in a metal cage.” Brom said, kicking the underside of where Maddox sat. Maddox, who had been tense with the desire to do as Varia wanted, released some of his power into the ground beneath them, creating a perfectly round indentation under the cage. Maddox glanced at the assassin who raised an eyebrow at him. Maddox whistled to one of the other soldiers to fetch some water. Some wild boars were turning over a few fires, so those would be ready when they were ready. “I suggest you talk some sense into your master. This offer only lasts until we get to the capital. After that you’ll die right along with him.” Maddox said as he was tossed a few water skins. One he guzzled down himself, the other he poured over the two prisoners below. “Let me know if you want more water.” Maddox smirked.

Varia growled, an unnatural sound, especially coming from someone so small. He had pressed his back against the bars of the cell as Maddox poured the water down over them. A loud cackle erupted from behind them, coming from Sabre. He'd always admired the sheer boldness of Maddox, and it was especially present now. Watching how easily the captain dismissed the Demon of Arcturus and his second in command was impressive. "You truly think either of us will give you any information? Or are you just wasting all your time and all of these resources JUST so you can parade me through Emeriss?" Varia spat, wiping water from his face, flicking it upwards towards Maddox. It was funny, watching the two titans bicker and take jabs at one another, though Sabre was more than aware that the only reason blood hadn’t been split was because Varia was restrained. "Come on, Varia. What do you even owe Arcturus? They've done nothing but abuse and use you your entire life." Sabre called out, not intending to drop his attempt at gathering information from the small man.

"Who even are you? I said to shut up." Varia snapped back towards Sabre. "Tell me about the weapon." Sabre called back, not affected by Varias harsh words this time. Though the glare Varia had focused on Maddox was harsh, the sudden twitch in his eyebrow was apparent to anyone who was looking. Slowly, Varias gaze turned back towards Sabre, eyeing the man fully. "Ah, I see. _That's_ why you've kept us alive."

Maddox sucked his teeth in mock annoyance. “Damn, I suppose you do know something about that then. Shame. Now I owe that fool there a gold coin, and you’ve earned yourself an extended stay in Emeriss with the lovely master torturers. I had planned to kill you flat out, myself.” Maddox said, studying Varia. Maddox couldn’t tell just yet whether Varia actually knew anything about the weapon or only the rumors Maddox himself had heard. Maddox knew very well how people such as himself, while considered invaluable and essential, could easily be left out of the loop on important military matters. If that was the case here, Maddox could only imagine how much more so it was in Arcturus. Which left an even more disturbing possibility. “That’s the crown’s interest, yes. There have been a few rumors of some new fancy weapon, out of pace with what we’ve seen. Something so big we thought you might know a thing or two.” Maddox looked away from the two below him and to Sabre, his brow furrowing in mild concern. “But he might be a grunt….” Maddox thought aloud, resting his chin on his hands atop the pommel of his sword.

“Reaper, you know their treachery better than anyone. Tell me...between the two options which is more likely? One: you and the demon here are actually the trigger for the weapon, allowed to come into our custody in order to get you into the city and set it off with the royal family there….or two: sacrifice you to ensure all of your enemies, Arcturus’ enemies, would gather in one place to see your demise, so that they could launch the weapon and kill everyone, including you two with them?” Maddox looked down at Brom who quickly looked away, his mind having not thought of the second option and didn’t want to show the concern of its truth on his face. “They wouldn’t need to kill everyone, only you. Once you fall, so does much of the resistance and worry of Arcturus. I’d say we’re a trap for you more than the crown. So it might be a good idea to abandon us here, now, while you have the chance.” Brom suggested in a calm reasonable voice, but Varia could sense his stress. He knew why. It was because the truth was, in both of those cases, whether they were a trap for Maddox or a lure for a bigger haul, neither option left them alive. If their country had been trying to kill them off for awhile, this would just be a more useful way of doing so. Brom looked over at Varia, tapping his foot for his attention. * I think they are right, Arcturus plans to kill us * Brom signed to Varia with his hands rather than speak outloud. It was common in Arcturus. Often the blizzards and frightening ice storms made it impossible to hear another speak. The Arcturian military had taught every one of it’s soldiers hand signs, a way to communicate without speaking. * Think about recent promotions, military movements….we’ve been isolated. *

Varias gaze dropped as Brom signed to him, confirming what he had already gathered. Arcturus wanted them both dead, and the sudden reality of it hit him like a ton of bricks. A defeated sigh left him, lowering himself back onto the seat, small hands rubbing at his face. Varia knew everything, or at least he thought he had. Up until recent events, he had never once thought of the possibility, or at least given it any real thought. He was too important, too valuable to Arcturus' cause. Without him, they had no one able to stand up to Maddox, and no one willing to commit the atrocities needed to secure their conquest. As if by magic, everything he had been given in secrecy over the years bubbled in his throat. He had never even humored the idea of sharing such important information before, but there it was, resting on the tip of his tongue, ready to be spilled. And what if he did? Could it even be stopped at this point? Who knew how long ago they had stopped feeding him proper information, he hadn't been to see the bomb sites in nearly six months, and as far as he knew, they weren't even prepared to launch. But those weren’t the only secrets he knew. There were many, MANY more. If Arcturus was so adamant to see him dead, perhaps the information he held frightened them... or perhaps just his very existence, his vengeful, powerful existence frightened them.

The tension in the air had suddenly shifted, causing Sabre to squint over the fire towards their prisoners. Maddox’s head turned downward, able to sense the change in Varia’s mood better than most. 15 years of knowing one another, though their encounters had been violent and bloody, had the unwanted affect of knowing one another better than most. He could feel the turmoil brewing in Varia, stronger than it had before. A deep silence had fallen over the camp, the faint murmur of their guards and the soft licking of flames being the only noise for a long, long moment, before the small commander let out another deep sigh.

"If this has been their intention all along, then I'm afraid my information may no longer be of any relevance to you. If the bombs are ready to launch, then I had been cut from the inner circle months ago." Varia suddenly uttered, his voice soft and small, no longer stern and confident as it normally was. Sabre immediately stood as Varia spoke, recognizing the opportunity and knowing just how quickly it could turn sour once more. Maddox’s face didn’t shift, but his eyes flickered to Sabre briefly, giving his second in command a short nod. He quickly moved closer to the cell, still maintaining a safe distance. He crouched, golden eyes focused on the back of the Demon of Arcturus. "Anything you could tell us could potentially bring Arcturus to heel. After all they've done to you, after all you've done for them, casting you aside like they're doing is the stupidest thing they could have ever done. I know you want to see them burn. Help us make that happen." The new silence around them was uncomfortable, the inward battle Varia was waging with his own thoughts and morals was evident by the vicious scowl on his face. He knew Maddox was right, he knew Sabre was right, and he knew Brom had been right so many times before. He had just been so blinded by his own forced loyalty he hadn’t seen it before. But now it was clear to him. His eyes finally lifted from their spot on the floor, raising up to lock with Maddox. "If you've been hearing whispers of the weapons, then nothing will save Emeriss. If I were you, I would send word to evacuate the city, though I doubt there will be enough time to save them all."

_Bombs?_ Maddox heard the word but it didn’t quite register what the other meant. In a world of magic and power, something as archaic as ‘bomb’ didn’t really have a lot of meaning. People had tried in the past of course, to harness immense powers into a compact form. But those experiments had always proven too unstable, unreliable. In an age where your opponent could be born with a gift that could easily render all your efforts meaningless, such research into things like ‘bombs’ had become obsolete. Or so Maddox had thought. He was sure that he didn’t understand the magnitude and implication of what Varia was calling a ‘bomb’, but he didn’t really need to. Even if the Arcturians hadn’t found a way to harness a particular power into a portable and detonatable form, even if they used the archaic versions, it would still be devastating. The world had moved on to much more terrible and yet civilized ways of killing people, that they had little protection against such crude forms of mass destruction. Maddox hardly heard the rest of what Varia and Sabre were talking about. He had spent all of his life fighting against the atrocities of Arcturus. He had risked and sacrificed much to stand against that great monster that had betrayed and destroyed his family. Aside from Varia, Maddox had thought himself doing a pretty damn good job paying them back with interest for all they had done. But now he saw how futile his efforts had been. How each of his victories had been hurling them ever faster towards this great defeat. ‘ _Nothing will save Emeriss_.’ Words that did not need to be said but which voiced a truth that Maddox already knew.

“It was all for nothing then?” Maddox asked softly in Arcturian to no one in particular. Despair and rage built inside of him, pressing against the walls of his skull, unable to be released in a way that would make him feel better, would stop this.

“Is this as far as your resolve goes?” Brom asked, kicking up at Maddox again, though there was more anger in his action now. “I will not die in a cage beneath your stinking feet because you can’t accept a small outmaneuver!” Brom shouted at Maddox, not caring or noting that he was slipping into the dialectic of their small village. “Have you forgotten? Your purpose was never to save or serve Er Rai, but to defeat Arcturus and the council. If you were going to fold so easily I should have let Varia kill you.”

Varia and Sabre both turned their heads as Brom and Maddox began their exchange, Sabres eyes on his friends, concerned for the man, and Varias focused on his second, stern and suddenly full of questions. Before he could snap at the pair, Sabre had already called the remaining guards to them, standing to urgently whisper to them. If Varia recommended evacuations, then he would fucking do just that. They perhaps didn’t have the time, but Emeriss wasn't leveled just yet. As the men moved to prepare their mounts, Sabre moved back to the cell, peering up at Maddox, though he spoke to Varia. "Anything you know can help us. Even if these.... bombs have already been used."

Varia glanced over his shoulder to Sabre, before turning his head back to eye Brom and Maddox. He didn't quite understand the dialect those two were speaking. It was Arcturian, of some sort, but many places in Arcturus had their own dialect. The country spent many years not in contact with small villages, so it was natural that several languages formed. With a scowl, Varia turned his head back to Sabre. "I toured several facilities in Nihal and Arcturus with the inner circle, but... I'm afraid I hardly paid any attention." Varia said, before leaning back against the bars once more. "Though, I do know where the sites are located. Even the ones here." Sabre sighed heavily, not necessarily surprised Arcturus had bases in other countries, but especially surprised they seemed to be building bombs in these places. "If they have these... facilities here already, could they launch an attack from them?" Sabre asked. Varias nod made Sabres stomach clench, turning his gaze back to Maddox.

Maddox stood, thinking. Brom was right of course, Maddox knew. Even so, it didn’t ease the guilt and feeling of failure in his chest. It was just his pride, but that had been all he had for a long time. Even if Er Rai was second or third in his heart, it had still given him the opportunity to strike back at his enemies. That he had failed to protect them seem like poor gratitude indeed. He was dimly aware of the riders preparing to leave. He registered that Varia was confirming more bases, more bombs yet to be dispatched to carry out their dangerous purpose. But the question was what to do about it. His immediate thought was to hunt down these places and destroy them, but finding them would be difficult. Even if they did, then what? Most of his troops were in the capital, probably soon to be destroyed. What army did he have to storm such places, to hunt down the masterminds and slaughter them? Not to mention that if there were bases even in Er Rai, then that meant that there were traitors in places Maddox had barely set eyes on. People that he had protected had been working all this time to undermine him.

Maddox worked it out, the riders off and away in the direction of the capital. Brom looked to Varia, trying hard not to shrink under the other’s probing gaze. There were a lot of answers those eyes demanded be produced, and with due haste. “Why are you hesitating when you have an ace up your sleeve?” Brom asked Maddox in the same dialect. Maddox turned his head from his hand and looked down at Brom with a raised eyebrow. “Me and Varia. We’re all suppose to be dead now. The dead can move around a lot easier than the living.” Brom reminded him. As if Brom had hit upon something profound, Maddox’s eyes grew wide and he looked towards the direction of the capital. “Sabre, what time would we have arrived in the Capital if we kept going through the night?” Maddox asked, even while doing the calculations in his head. At the standard speed, even with the wariness of the new prisoners making them slow a bit to watch them….about….

One moment it was night, the next it was as if the sun had forgotten something and shot out of bed. The entire landscape lit up before them, blinding them for a moment as darkness chased the sun back to bed. But even temporarily blinded Maddox felt it in the wind. Like how a tsunami pulls the water out to sea before engulfing the land, so too the air seemed to rush towards the capital as if sucking in a big breath. Maddox blindly reached for his sword and pulled it free of the cage, yelling at those nearest, meaning only Sabre and the cage’s inhabitants, to get down and brace themselves. It timed it as well as he could based on feel, but even then knew that beyond their little group, most would not survive.

The blast from his sword hit the shockwave like a wall and split it, but not before tossing Maddox and company, cage and all, backwards across the fire which had guttered out. The forest around them flattened, a few young trees half-springing back while older ones cracked in half. Maddox hit the ground hard, the pain from one of his arms indicating a possible break. Brom had leapt to cover Varia, the cage providing protection as well as its own dangers. A branch had slid through and cut Brom on the side. Deep enough to need attention, though not enough to bleed out quickly.

The combination of Brom selflessly covering Varia, Maddox’s energy shield, and the cage had saved Varia from any sort of serious wound. He had smacked his head against the bars of his cell hard, resulting in a slow trickle of blood beginning to drip down his forehead, but he was fine save that. Sabre had been blown back by the force of the shockwave, smashing his back against a tree, which, surprisingly, withstood the blast. A shaky breath left him as the dust finally began to settle. The cell had tipped onto its side, the wheels catching on the rim of the crater Maddox created. It slid a ways before being stopped as it caught on upturned roots from a tree. Laying in the upturned dirt lay the talismans used to prevent Varia from being able to access his abilities.

Varia slowly shifted to a crouch, his eyes glowing through the red staining his face as he turned towards the north. In the distance, now visible beyond the shattered trees, was Emeriss. Or at least where she had once stood. It was too far to properly judge the extent of the damage, but the glow from the city assured the group that Emeriss was burning. It stood stark against the blackened sky, glowing a deep, blood red. Though the forest had grown eerily silent, it was almost as if they could hear the screams. Varia wiped the blood on his face, turning his back towards the glow in the north.

_That bomb was meant for Brom and I._

He could feel his anger bubbling in his gut once more, but the sudden surge of power he felt rush through his frame snapped him from his homicidal thoughts. His eyes moved downwards towards his own shadow, watching as the dark began to twitch and twist, as if it were stretching. He was no longer weakened, and now, coupled with his own anger towards his country, the shadows in the immediate area grew darker, as if answering a silent call from their master.

_They will wish I had died in the blast._

Without a word, a tendril of shadows lifted from the ground, now solid, swirling angrily as it lifted, wrapping around the bars on the door. With a sudden jerk, the door was ripped from its hinges, the damaged steel groaning as it smashed into the ground several yards away, effectively releasing Varia into the dark forest. A quick glance towards Brom was given, eyes taking in the blood blossoming on the mans side, before Varia was on the move, stepping out of the cage, and turning a harsh glare towards a wounded Maddox.

Sabre had moved towards his friend, still disoriented from the blast itself, his hands shaking as he gently touched him, assuring himself Maddox hadn't died in the sudden explosion. He had hardly noticed Varia, his ears ringing so loudly, he wouldn't have heard if someone shouted directly into them. But as he peered down at the mans mangled arm, the shadow he cast on his partners body suddenly darkened, twisting, before pulling away from him, and towards their left. Sabres eyes quickly shot up, widening as they fell on the form of Varia, the demon of Arcturus, looking exactly as that. Varia had begun to move towards them, not pausing as Sabre suddenly held his hands forward.

"Varia... what are you doing?" He managed to get out, as the tiny man stopped next to them, staring down at his foe. "That bomb was meant for you, Varia. We can help you, you know we can help you. If you're going to take the fight to Arcturus, you'll need all the help you can get. Maddox is just as powerful as you, and you can--"

"Shut up." Varia cut him off, before slowly lowering to a crouch next to Maddox, his eyes moving over his body, before resting on his arm. "Get up. We need to move. Arcturus will be sending in troops to assess the damage done, and we need to be far from here when they arrive." He suddenly said, causing Sabres eyebrows to punch together in confusion. Was he.... not going to murder them? His mind was suddenly filled with questions, but a sharp look from Varia quieted him. He glanced down to Maddox once more, before slowly shifting to his feet. By the time Varia came over to him, Maddox had at least managed to lift himself into a sitting position. There were still significant black spots in his vision and the world spun besides. That was not including the pain radiating from his arm and head from the recoil and being thrown. But all of this was less problematic than the drawback from his power which had left him feeling incredibly weak. Even if he wanted to leap to his feet he couldn’t. Usually he didn’t expend so much power and so the consequences were usually limited to a small area of his body. But that shockwave had been strong and to counter it even as much as he had required almost all of his strength to push back. So even as Varia came closer, radiating danger and malice, Maddox could do nothing to stop him from whatever he planned to do. Luckily, perhaps, Varia had awareness of the situation enough not to kill his strongest ally at the moment. Even so, Maddox glared up at him as the other suggested they get a move on.

“Having the demon of Arcturus shown mercy….I’m regretting saving your ass already.” Maddox spat. Varia stared down his nose at Maddox, and for a long moment Sabre truly thought he would kill the both of them. Maddox was in no position to defend himself if Varia suddenly turned on him. Neither would survive.

But soon his attention turned towards Brom as his second hauled himself from the cage, allowing Sabre to take a deep breath.

Besides the four of them there wasn’t a living soul about. If any animals had survived the blast they were long gone, and all of the soldiers were unaccounted for. At least, in total. Bits and pieces of some were strewn about, most had probably been blasted pretty far. Brom slowly got to his feet, shuffling over to the others, still gingerly holding his side. “Can you move?” Brom asked Maddox on the ground, taking in the other’s injuries. “Are you offering to carry me?” Maddox returned. “Not while you’re conscious.” Brom bit back, glancing around again. Brom turned to Sabre. “We need a cave, someplace safe and little known. Is there such a place around here?”

"The old smuggler underground trail passes through this area. I haven't been since it was raided, and that was a long time ago." Sabre said, squinting into the trees. "I'm certain the entrance is overgrown by now, but it shouldn't be to difficult to find." Sabre watched the pair of Arcturians closely, before a heavy sigh left him. "We could travel most of Er Rai underground in the passages. There's structures and water... and its difficult to find an entrance, and even if someone did, it'd be difficult to find us." Sabre offered, causing Varia to finally turn his head away from Maddox to scowl at him. "I intend to take you two as far as your next town, no further." He said, before turning away from the group, snatching a bag from the remains of their camp. "I can't be too sure, but the passage was should he near. It’ll be marked with a boulder, and a symbol..." Sabre said, reaching down to draw the piece in the dirt below his feet, though his eyes continued to follow Varia as the commander busied himself. "We need to keep our eyes open. It's safe there, and we need to look over wounds, and not in the open."

Brom studied the marking Sabre made in the dirt closely before rubbing it out with his foot. “We’re moving in two minutes.” Brom said to the pair before going to help Varia scour the remains of the camp. Varia, barely looked at him. He felt if he did he would begin asking questions Brom didn’t want to answer just yet. He wasn’t sure what that language was, or when Maddox and Brom became so friendly. He was half convinced he didn’t want to know. After all, two betrayals in one day could very well tip the scale in his already fragile mind. He ignored the other, not speaking as he packed what he could, before turning back towards Maddox and Sabre. Maddox was leaning on Sabre heavily, but was at least on his feet. It would have to be good enough, for they couldn’t linger much longer.

Varia turned from the burning city once Brom joined them, the two of them slowly picking their way over downed trees. Maddox and Sabre lingered for a moment, both men turned towards where the great golden city once stood. Shadows flickered across the remains of the forest floor, drawing emerald eyes to them.

Maddox drew a deep breath, before he turned, leaning on his partner for support as the two began to move after the Arcturians, away from Emeriss. Away from his home. Away from the city that was meant to never fall. He didn’t turn back a second time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group journeys into the caves beneath Er Rai. There, a secret is revealed that leaves Varia feeling helpless and defeated. But they aren't the only living creatures in the deep dark of the cavern. Their journey awakens something none of them are ready to face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two is up! Still feeling a bit shakey, but I'm more confident in this chapter than I was chapter one. Please please please leave comments! I would very much appreciate the feedback! Thanks for reading!

– Maddox –

“Explain it to me again.”

The embers of Emeriss still burned brightly against the black sky. The smell of fire and burned flesh followed the four even with as far as they were. The forests that had once surrounded the great city was flattened, charred. The smell of a rainless thunderstorm hung heavy on the air, electric, thick, magnetic. 

If Maddox had thought Sabre set a grueling pace to the capital, Varia was even worse. The man was relentless, storming ahead towards the mountain range to the south. It was where they would be safe. Surely someone would be coming to assess the damage of Emeriss, and no matter who they fought for, they needed to be cautious. Sabre had torn a sack and fashioned a makeshift sling for Maddox, but they had no time to properly see to his arm. It was clearly broken, that much was obvious. The pain was throbbing, shooting hot needles through his shoulder and back with every step. But they were drawing near, at least.

As Sabre asked Varia once more for an explanation to the bomb, the commander turned his head briefly, indicating he heard him. Varia let out an annoyed sigh, though Maddox took note that he perhaps seemed too calm in such a situation. His country just tried to murder him, twice. He was now a fugitive of Arcturus, and likely thought dead. For Maddox, this was good news. If Arcturus thought Varia and Brom dead, they would not expect them to show up to their door. The military of Arcturus was largely loyal to Varia and Varia alone. The council couldn’t stop him if he turned on them. But would he? It didn’t matter, at least not now. Maddox was far too focused on the pain in his arm to worry about whether or not Varia would be keen on stirring up a civil war.

“They craft explosives with specialized powders forged from the Wall of the Sun. They make hundreds of them, combining them into one large package. Mages, at least thirty of them, they combine their chants and their magics in order to launch the package great distances. Once they’ve reach the destination, they let it drop. Once it’s dropped… you see what it does.” Varia responded. It was the seventh time he had explained these… bombs to Sabre in the past two hours. Maddox had heard it enough himself, but he appreciated how eager his second was in finding out everything he could. 

“And they have launch sites here? In Er Rai?” Sabre asked, ignoring the look he received from Brom. “Aye, they’re everywhere except Volcanra.” Varia responded, his head on a swivel as they neared the mountains. “Everywhere...” Sabre muttered, glancing to Maddox with a frown. But Maddox had nothing to contribute to the current conversation. He wanted to get under the mountains. He needed to rest. He needed to get the image of an entire city snuffed out in a matter of seconds. 

  
_Tens of thousands of people, gone in the blink of an eye._

  
He remained quiet. It was too much of an effort just to walk straight and not fall, but he knew Sabre likely had questions that demanded answers. Answers that Maddox wasn’t sure Sabre would like. The situation, as terrible as it was, was more precarious for Brom and Maddox. Maddox felt himself safe, so long as the other two with them held off their questions and remained ignorant to the truth. It was a shaky truce they had, one that would need to be deepened and turned into a full alliance if either party were to get anywhere. But that was consideration for a later time. 

  
Without the thick forest to hinder their path, the short journey to the mountains was completed before the sun rose. Emeriss could still be seen in the distance, a speck of burning orange on the horizon. The further they got, the easier it was to ignore what happened. For a moment, Maddox wondered how many of his friends were killed in the blast, but the pain from his arm quickly distracted him. If he was thankful for such a distraction, he was not yet sure. 

Thick bushes spread up along the side of the mountain ridge, overgrown onto the small pathway up the rocky slopes. It didn’t take Sabre long to find the entrance, a circle carved into the rocks led the way for anyone who may be looking. Varia pushed aside a low hanging branch, revealing a dark crevice. The smell of fungus and earth pervaded Maddox’s senses and the lack of light did little to help him keep his bearing and balance. The soil under their boots was soft and squishy as they proceeded into the deep darkness below. Brom didn’t start a light until they were further in from the entrance, presumably using Varia to help guide them away from walls and pitfalls. Maddox didn’t know how long they walked, but they didn’t stop until he heard the dripping of moisture and came upon a small hollow that housed a shallow pool and lent-to. There were torches on the wall, unused for years. Most of them were ruined with the moisture, but Sabre had found several that could still be lit. 

The additional light revealed much more than Maddox had expected. Crude wooden bridges formed pathways over the pools of water. Overturned tables, cups and cutlery scattered about higher rises in the stone. Sabre had said these tunnels had been used by bandits before. He wondered now where they had gone. Maddox rested himself near one of the pools and as he did he had to bite back the wave of nausea and dizziness, willing it to pass. While he had gained back some measure of feeling in his body again, with it came the pain from his arm which threatened to cripple him again. It was not as if he had never broken a bone before, and for sure he had sustained worse injuries than this. But there was something about injuries sustained by his power, or in areas affected by it. When sensations came back they tended to do so with force. So when that sensation was pain, it hit him harder than it should. But far be it for him to show that in front of others, least of all Varia. They may have a truce now, but Maddox was not so foolish as to think that any show of excessive weakness on his part wasn't like dangling meat before a starved wolf. He had to endure and suffer in silence if he wanted to see any of this to fruition.

His gaze turned towards the little demon, watching how his eyes brushed over every bit of rubble the fire revealed. He wondered briefly if his abilities allowed him to see more, or to feel more than could be seen. But his curiosity was replaced by something else. He could see it in Varia’s gaze, a hint of wanderlust. 

_Does the little demon want to explore?_

He wondered what he was thinking in that moment, if he wanted to run away, to get lost in the tunnels. Surly no one would be able to find a creature of the dark down there. But as quickly as Maddox had noticed Varia’s desire to explore, it faded the moment he turned to Maddox. His expression was unpleasant, marred by that familiar weight that he always seemed to carry. 

Maddox felt himself tense under the others sharp gaze, wondering if this was it. 

_Is Varia going to kill me now? After hauling my ass into the tunnels? It isn’t the worst plan._

Despite a flicker of murderous intent flashing behind that icy gaze, Varia instead dropped the sack he had been carrying, crouching to dig through it. He produced a roll of dingy bandages, dirty and worn, but able to be used still. But Maddox found that glaring at the Demon of Arcturus was far too much effort in that moment and only served to heighten his nausea and dizziness. So instead, he closed his eyes, allowing his head to rest back against the soft dirt. He could faintly hear his companions speaking, no doubt about him. He was by far the worst injured, and he only could trust that Sabre and Brom would keep Varia from killing him. 

As it turned out, while he could perhaps count on them for that, that was about all he could count on them for. Brom came behind Maddox and Sabre on silent feet, catching Varia’s eye and doing a silent count down. 

“Hold him still, Nihalian, or he’ll cause more damage.” Brom told Sabre as he pounced Maddox, holding him in a lock with his arm outstretched for Varia to splint. Maddox balked at the sudden hold, even more at the influx of pain. Not that he could thrash very much, but he instinctively tried to throw them all over, wanting nothing to do with whatever they were about to attempt. While Maddox could keep mum about his pain and wounds, that lasted only until they were tended. If left to quietly sit with his pain he could filter it out, section it off in his mind for a while. But when someone was poking and prodding, jostling it and causing hills and valleys of physical pain, he couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t hold the pain at bay. At those time he was indeed childish, doing everything he could to escape his helpers turned tormentors.

Sabre had hold of his back, strong arms wrapping under Maddox’s own arms and limiting his movements. In any other situation Maddox could trounce Sabre, but with the added strength of Brom, and the break in his arm, he was virtually helpless against their grasps. Between Brom and Sabre, Maddox was well restrained, but as Varia grasped his arm, he was able to jerk away from him. Without thinking twice, Varia shoved himself against Maddox’s torso, his back pressed against the mans chest as he secured his arm against his own body. The struggle seemed to last for minutes, before a sickening crack echoed through the chasm. In an instant Maddox’s struggles lessened, likely due to the pain, but Varia wasted no time, wrapping the mans arm up as best he could with the limited supplies they had available. 

There were two things that distracted Maddox from his struggling that followed in quick enough succession that he was able to forget the first with the second. The sudden sharp pain of having his arm set had done a hell of a good job chasing away his first lapse in concentration: Varia. 

Among the things to happen to him today he had not expected that Varia would 1. Be trying to splint his arm over irreparably destroying it and him, and 2. That the other would be reverse cowgirl in his lap. It was more the second than the first event that had startled him into momentary submission, primarily do to the fact that, for someone dragged around in a cart all day, Varia smelled kinda nice. Of course that was a relative statement, for objectively speaking they probably all smelled rather rank. But there had been a spice and forest smell about Varia that reminded Maddox of deep Arcturian wood in winter. It was a nostalgic smell and he had found himself inhaling deeply. Then came the pain and he promptly forgot any remotely pleasant feelings the man before him inspired. 

Now, breathing heavily as he lay on the dirt floor, arm splinted and mind growing clearer, Maddox leveled a glare at his second. “You...are way...too gleeful for my taste….and your health.” Maddox growled at the others smirk. Sabre was lucky Maddox was still injured, for he surely would have caused injury to the other if that were not the case. Maddox supposed the situation was funny. It was certainly ridiculous on all counts, but Maddox didn’t have it in him to laugh about it at the moment. More than his own pain, his thoughts kept turning to the city aflame, the lives snuffed out suddenly and brutally. There was also no small bit of guilt, not just for not protecting the city, but for also being unable to protect the soldiers that had been with him. Instead he had given priority to the three with him, two of which were professed enemies, one of which likely still was.

“We shouldn’t linger too long. There are better safe stops further in.” Maddox said to Sabre, though he was loathed to move. But they had taken a relatively straight path to this spot, which meant it would be easy to find compared to some of the others. The Arcturians had gathered near the small pool, whispering in hushed voices, pointing every which direction. Maddox wondered if Varia was pressing Brom for more information, of their familiarity. He supposed they would have to come clean sooner rather than later. For now, he was thankful Sabre had left it be.

Sabre helped him to his feet. The pain was there, but dulled, only an ache now. Brom brought him several herbs he had pulled from the pool, instructing him to chew on them as they moved and they certainly helped to quell the hurt. Brom had gone ahead as they moved through the winding caverns, forging fake trails and scouting ahead. The more Maddox’s mind returned to him, the more uncomfortable he was in the darkness of the caverns. He had never cared much for such small and dark places. His own experiences inside of caves just like this, perhaps a bit colder, had seen to that. But Varia seemed perfectly at home. Of course he did. He was a little demon after all. The dark and dreary caverns would make a wonderful home for the prat. 

One spot in the cave forked into several directions. From the left side, a whisper seemed to come with the air, that electric feeling of magic surrounding the entrance. Varia was leading, and without hesitation he went the other way. Perhaps he sensed something Maddox hadn’t, for he didn’t think twice about moving down the center path. The walked for an hour, perhaps a bit longer before the cave opened up into a sprawling cavern. Fungus lined the pools, glowing a dim blue and illuminating the area. The ceiling was high there, too high to see before it was plunged into darkness. Water fell in a roaring fall, filling the pools with fresh water. Fish could be seen swimming calmly in their crystal depths. For a moment, that same wanderlust crossed Varia’s face, his eyes wide as he gazed around the area. Various ramps led to higher levels of the cavern and also other tunnels. Small buildings were scattered throughout, and they had their pick of where to stay.

“Have your fishing skills improved any?” Maddox asked Sabre as he spotted the small fish darting about in the pools of water. “Which cavern is this, anyway? I always managed to get turned around in these things.” That was a good thing. Maddox reckoned if he was so turned around, anyone who may have tracked them there would be equally lost. His eyes weren’t focused on Sabre though, instead following the movements of the small commander in his presence. Varia slowly stepped to the edge of one of the pools, a frown crossing his features briefly as he looked down to his own body, covered in blood and grime. Maddox saw the hesitation on the male’s face as he approached the pool, and thought it rather cute that the Demon of Arcturus was pining for a bath. Maddox would have thought the male at home in grime and blood, but perhaps it was because Varia had not caused it that he felt uncomfortable. His head tilted to Sabre as the man answered his question. 

“I can try to fish. Better asking the creepy assassin." He muttered, jerking a thumb at Brom. "Honestly, I'm a bit turned around, but.... considering how far we walked, I'd say this is red rock, south." He said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I would assume there’s a map around here somewhere." Maddox’s gaze briefly turned to Sabre as he confirmed their location, making a mental note. They were near a few villages, but they were still close to the capital. It was likely those villages were evacuated by now, or worse. 

His gaze was drawn back to the pool as the sound of heavy leathers and chain mail being tossed about echoed in the chasm. Varia was undressing, clearly not at all concerned about being unarmored around Maddox, an idea that left him both frustrated at his lack of intimidation in that moment and… curious. Varia always wore that heavy armor, black as his shadows. Chain mail decorated his vital spots, his shoulders protected with heavier metals. A thick fur cloak was normally drawn around his shoulders, so seeing him remove all those layers certainly had him interested. He heard Sabre huff, hearing the other turn away from the sight, but Maddox continued to watch. He had the thought that Varia was much more attractive than he would have thought. Though scars were expected, Varia had less than Maddox thought. He certainly had less than Maddox which pricked the captain’s pride a bit. Perhaps it was just the dim lighting, Maddox told himself. Though that ‘dim lighting’ wasn’t so dim that he couldn’t appreciate the finer points of Varia’s body. It was at that moment that he recalled how Varia had straddled him before, how close the other had been, the smell of him. Maddox looked away as Varia entered the pool, hoping it was dark enough that Sabre couldn’t see the flush on his cheeks.

He heard Sabre sniffing near him, finally turning his gaze to his second as the man gazed down at his own body, his nose scrunched in disgust. “Go on ahead. I’ll watch and make sure he doesn’t drown you. I want to get a bit more strength back first.” Maddox said, though that was only part of the reason. Maddox very rarely undressed around others, and when he did it was usually dark. Up until now he had gotten away with it due to the nature of his work. There was always something to preoccupy himself with while everyone else was getting washed up. He had been able to largely avoid showing anyone his bare body. Even lovers never saw him completely naked, the encounters usually being rushed ones. Even when that was not the case he made sure that none saw his back. Before he had defected Maddox too had been initially put in a program in Arcturus. In that program the kids had been branded with a now antiquated Arcturus symbol. It spanned the entirety of Maddox’s back and had been branded with some kind of magic that resisted removal. At most he could cover it with magic, but never erase it. Most didn’t know what the symbol meant, and he had lied if ever someone had seen it. But Varia, Maddox was sure, would know it. With the entirety of his and Brom’s history not yet revealed, and unsure how both Sabre and Varia would take the truth, Maddox had no desire to unveil himself in such a fashion

So he sat on the edge of the pool, putting his feet in the cool water at least to ease their aching. “Tis a shame. You could have warmed many a bed and made quite a different living for yourself with a body like that. What demon did you bargain with to erase the hideous looks you had to have been born with?” Maddox asked Varia from the shore, trying not to stare too hard at the other’s body. He received a scathing glare from Varia as the man drifted further into the pool, small hands rubbing across surprisingly muscular shoulders. He could only imagine the murderous thoughts rushing through the little demons mind at his words, but he soon found Varia’s eyes moving to Sabre as the man stripped. Sabre’s skin was bronzed from years of living in Nihal, darker than Maddox’s tanned skin. He was well formed, dark hair and golden eyes, a pearly smile flashing from behind a well trimmed beard. Maddox saw Varia’s appraisal of Sabre and could sympathize. He too had appraised his second’s body, appreciating its tone and curves. But, alas, that was a depth be could not plumb. There had been perhaps some drunken attempts on both of their parts to become intimate, but usually it devolved into a sexually frustrating wrestle that left both of them laughing and seeking release elsewhere. So Maddox felt amusement at Varia’s assessment, though he refrained from speaking of it aloud. Sabre would probably shit himself to think the Demon of Arcturus was eyeing him. Of course such a thought had Maddox looking at Varia again, considering what kind of bed partner the other might make. Given his reputation it was assumed he would be adverse to being on the receiving end of sexual pleasure, but then again his stature lent to one automatically thinking him on the bottom. Maddox smirked at his thoughts, imagining a petulant Varia beneath him.

“What, are you shy?” Varia’s voice tore Maddox from his thoughts, a smirk falling over his face as he tilted his head at the naked man before him. “I can’t have you distracted by the beauty and manliness of my body, so, for your sanity, I have refrained. Though if you are that adamant I may consent to a private viewing later, let you have a close view of certain parts.” Maddox said with a wink at Varia. Not that he expected Varia to do other than cause harm to such parts, so it was more of a joke than not. But how Varia rolled his eyes nearly to the back of his skull was amusing. “In any case, I am not so foolish as to completely divest myself while in your element.” For sure the thought of being naked in the darkness with Varia so close by was not a comforting thought. While much of his power was likely useless in such a case, Maddox had no desire to be more at the other’s mercy than necessary. 

“Have you talked to your second yet, Varia?” Maddox asked suddenly serious, glancing back into the gloom for Brom. The other was not in sight and likely still scoping out the various compounds. “I will remind you, whatever else you may feel about the present situation, he has kept you alive when it would have greatly benefited to let you die. His loyalty to you, disgusting as it is, is genuine. Though, coming from me I suppose that means nothing to you. Not yet, anyway.”

"You're correct. Anything you say means nothing to me, though I am curious as to the history the two of you suddenly seem to have." Varia replied, turning in the water to move his back to face Maddox, not that Maddox was complaining by the sight. “It’s not sudden, Varia. He’s my brother. My older brother.” Brom said in Arcturian as he materialized out of the shadows a little ways from Maddox, closest to Varia. He tossed the other a small piece of wrapped soap before sitting at the edge of the pool, slowly removing his own clothing. 

“We grew up in the mountains northeast of the capital, near the Frozen Sea. It was a small village of no concern to the empire. As you well know, they didn’t take noble’s children for the programs. They took children from the streets, from far remote places that thought themselves safe and which no one would notice was erased in the night.” Brom spoke softly and slowly, his narrative mostly for Varia’s sake as he did not switch to the common tongue. Maddox listened to the others speak, ignoring Sabre’s look. He knew Sabre understood Arcturian, but thankfully he wasn’t being questioned just yet by his second. They had larger concerns right now, Varia. He had already suffered a betrayal, and the man wasn’t known for being stable. 

“They came at dawn, slaughtering as many as they took. Our parents perished, as did our other siblings. Some there, some in the camps. Maddox and I were separated, determined to have different uses to the empire with his natural born skill and my lack thereof. I was to be fodder for the likes of you and him. Pawns to throw in front of your enemies, test subjects for weapons. But Maddox, as you know, can be stubborn and tenacious, and very dangerous. The short version is that he escaped his hell, found me in mine and, rather than being the good brother our parents wished, he thrust me back into another. The program that led me to you is an Er Rai sleeper cell. Some legitimately work for Arcturus, but most intend to create more sleeper agents to destroy the empire from within.” Brom paused in his story as he removed his shirt, wincing as the fabric pulled away from his wound. “I was supposed to kill you. Er Rai wanted it. Arcturus wanted it. And if you had tried to kill me in turn I probably would have succeeded. But you didn’t. I was your friend, your companion, someone you trusted. You believed in that and sought to reason with me, to save me.” Maddox cut in in the common tongue, kicking the water idly. “I told him when he was assigned to you, when you first emerged as the Demon of Arcturus, to find out if you could be saved. If anything human was left in you. A kingdom for a demon….” Maddox scoffed and shook his head, rising to his feet and walking back towards the huts and fire Brom had started.

Varias gaze didn’t move to Maddox as he spoke, but his gaze darkened, his nose crinkling. "Save me?" He scoffed, shooting a glare over his shoulder at Maddox, before his eyes moved to Brom. The look on Varias face as he stared at Brom... strange, especially for him. It was clearly the first time he had heard any of this, the first time it was even suspected. It left Maddox feeling a strange way as well… guilt, was it? Varia had known Maddox was Arcturian by birth, but nothing beyond that. The two didn’t even look the same, but... many things had begun to make sense to him, Maddox could see the realization dawning on him. There had been times that Varia had Maddox pinned, and he COULD have killed him, easily. But Brom never allowed it. It went both ways as well, Maddox had plenty of opportunities to kill Varia as well, yet Brom had always managed to keep him alive as well. Varia held Broms gaze for a long moment, almost as if he was considering an attack. Maddox watched from a distance, ready to jump to his brothers defense, all useless as he may be, before Varia lifted from the water, snatching his clothes from where he had bundled them and moving away from the others. Maddox let out a heavy sigh, as if he had been holding his breath. His eyes followed Varia as the commander moved towards one of the huts, leaving the others to be alone.

Sabre watched the events transpire, pulling himself from the waters as well, re-dressing himself. “Well… what an interesting turn of events…” He muttered, shooting a look to Maddox, though he seemed less surprised than he should be. Maddox grunted in reply, looking towards Brom as the other climbed into the water. “I expect he’ll be leaving then.” Sabre murmured as he pulled his shirt over his head. “No.” Brom corrected, glancing in the direction Varia had disappeared to. “He can’t just live quietly somewhere, his pride wont allow the slight from Arcturus to go unanswered. But he can’t strike back without us. If he were determined to ignore the empire and live quietly somewhere he would have killed us. While I can’t say for sure that his desire to disappear wont someday outweigh his hatred and anger, at least for now I wouldn’t worry about it.” Brom said, half floating in the water, looking up at the distant cavern ceiling. 

Maddox allowed Varia to brood in one hut, busying himself near the fire, skinning and spitting the scrawny cavern hares Brom had caught on his survey of the area. It was not easy with a broken arm, but he managed, and in doing so got some measure of control over himself as well. Maddox had not thought their plan would work out so well, nor have such devastating consequences. He had thought one or all of them would be dead by now, or that the circumstances which had propelled them into this alliance would never come. So how to deal with a foe turned ally, how to navigate his brother’s emotions in regards to him and now Varia, how to accept that their little plan may have been the ruin of the capital. Maddox scowled at the roasting rabbits. This had all been to obtain Varia. If he turned tail on them now it will have all been for naught. It was for his own sanity at least that he had to make sure that the threads keeping Varia with them did not fray beyond repair. 

So Maddox took the rabbits off the fire, taking one on a stick in his injured hand, taking a torch with the other and going in search of Varia. He found the little demon brooding in a dark hut a little ways away, and ignored the clearly oppressive air that told him to fuck all the way off. He kicked the door shut behind him, planting the torch in the dirt, it’s glow doing little to chase away the darkness likely being fed by Varia. “I brought dinner. And don’t say you’re not hungry or don’t want it. You can brood like a spoiled kid in the corner if you’d like, but you’ll need energy for that as well.” Maddox said, also staking the rabbit stick in the dirt. He plopped down across from Varia, knowing he was pressing his luck and not caring. “Before you get too deep into your brooding I want to make sure you have all the facts. So if you choose to fuck us over out of spite or even stick with us, you know everything.” Maddox said, holding eye contact with Varia over the flame. “For the record, my brother was never on board with killing you. Whatever friendship you have with him, it’s genuine. He needed it for his sanity as much as you did. So whatever dark little thoughts you are convincing yourself of, let that not be one of them.”

As Maddox spoke to Varia, Varia held his gaze. He was listening, but the questions and possibilities moved through his mind frantically, his gaze sharp, yet unfocused. Maddox was able to read the demon better than most, and he could see the way Varia teetered on the edge . The shadows in the small hut were pulsating, as if they were breathing, shielding Varia and now Maddox from the dim lights of the cavern. Varia finally turned his head away. "Did Arcturus betray me because of something you two did?" He asked. It was a valid question and Maddox took a moment to think through the answer, owing Varia at least an honest one. 

“No...and yes.” He said, looking back at the other after a moment. “The results of the breeder programs always had an expiration date. Your kind were bred to be violent, unpredictable, berserkers in uniform. That you turned out to be rather well adjusted was a fluke rather than the norm. All of your contemporaries have since done exactly as they were expected to do: die or need to be killed. If you weren’t killed in some suicide run it was expected that you would need to be put down, a rabid dog no longer able to tell master from prey. From the view of Arcturus, Brom was put by your side, at worst as a warning to them that you had lost it, at best to put you down if it seemed you were more liability than asset. But, better than they or we expected, he balanced you out, and you kept fighting war after war for them, by and large winning.” Maddox had a rueful grin, annoyed at that fact but having to acknowledge the skill regardless.

“But people like winners, and despite your personality, people liked you quite a bit. All on your own, whether you wanted it or not, you began to cause movements and waves among the populace, to gain supporters above and beyond what a mere grunt was suppose to. Naming you general was suppose to curb any ambition you had, but it had the potential to work also has a way to undercut the government. You are not nobody. So the first part of the answer is, no. You set them against you from the start by outliving your life expectancy and succeeding in ways you were never meant to. What we did do, was throw a match into the powder keg you had made of yourself. A few well placed whispers that maybe you were not so innocent in your fame, that you had ambition and intention, and Arcturus found a diplomatic reason to kill you off.” Maddox sighed and stretched his legs to the edge of the light ring made by the torch. “Here or there, Varia, rulers are not different in their fears. To them you and I will always be trash, gutter-born, dirtying their halls and polluting their vision with our very presence. Eventually they will seek to kill us. It’s only a matter of when and for what benefit.”

Maddox watched Varia’s gaze shift from defeat to a focused, accusing glare. Maddox expected a lot of things to come out of Varia’s lips, but what came surprised him. "They were going to cast me onto the ice when I was born. I was so small, how could I ever become what they wanted me for?" Varia’s tone was normally strict, stern, angry. But now, it was soft. It was so strange, hearing Varia speak this way, but Maddox wouldn’t stop him. "I was number 22. I have brothers somewhere, probably dead by now. It doesn’t matter anyway, considering they took me the moment Vaalar Hancock decided to keep me alive. I was raised in those dark halls, beaten for not being violent enough, beaten for not being strong enough.... but that didn’t last long. I was 5 when I killed the first person. Another kid in the program. I smashed his face into the stone floor of my room until there was nothing left, and... I was rewarded. My violence was born with me, it's in the very nature of all Arcturians, but they made me what I am. They elevated me, gave me everything I needed to rise in rank. I was the youngest commander in history, there’s statues of me in Akranes. My face is carved into murals of the greats and propaganda posters. Everything I've done, I did for them. Without them, I don't have anything. I don’t know how to be anything but what they made me to be, and now all of that is gone. Because I AM nothing without Arcturus. I am gutter-born, and I was perfectly content dying for their vision. You spoke of saving me, there isn’t anything to save."

Whatever Maddox expected of this chat with Varia, a recounting of the other’s history and divulging into what sounded suspiciously like an existential crisis, was not it. As Varia spoke Maddox found himself commiserating with the other and he had the feeling that, though no moisture clouded the other’s vision, that something inside Varia was crying out desperately. Maddox could feel what his brother had claimed to see time and time again in the other. Despite what Varia was saying, no, because of it, there was certainly something salvageable in the other. 

“And yet, despite the violence in which you were bred, rather than responding with unbridled violence as you were taught, you have shown mercy, compassion, traits that surely would have invited such beatings in your youth. So I am told by Brom, anyway. That he is still alive when his attempt on your life should have prompted you to dispatch him immediately and without hesitation, leads me to believe his words. It is not salvation we are offering, Varia. We are not gods nor do we claim to have ties to such. This is not an invitation to appeal to some higher power for all the blood on your hands. This is an offer to give voice and purpose to that part of you that seeks to be more than a demon. It’s an offer to create a chance to make your own future.”

There was no salvation for their souls, that Maddox knew well. It didn’t matter which side they claimed and the reasons they had picked up the sword. He and Varia would share a cell in hell together if there was a hell. “There are other lands out there.” Maddox said quietly, looking into the fire. For a moment his eyes showed that same longing that Varia’s had every time he looked off into the caves. That want, need to explore, to become lost in a place no one would look for him. “Places where we are not enemies, where we need not even speak if we passed each other on the road, nor even pass each other at all. But these places, that are closed to us so long as the current empire stands. To be free of Er Rai, I must be free of Arcturus. If you wish to hang on to the creature Arcturus made of you and never be free, there are places we can drop you off and you will get first hand proof how much you mean to them and whether we are lying. It’s up to you, Varia.” Maddox said, rising and stretching gingerly. He looked down at the other, a sudden urge to hug Varia surging through him. But he held himself in check if for no other reason than crossing that expanse before Varia was ready would reward Maddox with a blade between the ribs without a doubt.

Varia’s eyes lowered from Maddox as he rose, watching as his boots dug into the soft, dry sand covering the floor of the hut. He was quiet for a while, and Maddox dared not to interrupt his thoughts. Varia didn’t believe him, he knew that. He didn’t believe there was a place for him in the world. 

“I will stay, only to see Arcturus destroyed." Varia spoke, his eyes continued to avert themselves from Maddox. "I suppose you've done your job then." It was almost spiteful, his words. They carried much, his sense of betrayal, the feeling that everything he had believed and trusted had all been for naught. Maddox had never been good about talking out his feelings. Since his family’s death, probably even before that, he had always had a problem using his words to convey his feelings and thoughts. Over time this had gotten better, especially as he had needed to be able to convey orders and intentions with clarity. Lives were at stake after all. But when it came down to his own frustrations, fears, wrath, love, he had always struggled to tell over show, communicate rather than vent. It was a disease of being a military man. It was the burden of those who spent those formative years with violence. Brom had somehow turned out alright. But then again his strengths had always been those that allowed him to speak even if all he spoke was lies. Maddox imagined that, rather than being able to get Varia to talk to him, Brom had simply been able to speak the things Varia felt or else weaved a cleaver tale to help the other out of the darkness in his heart. But Maddox was not Brom, and as he gazed down at Varia he felt a kinship with him that their animosity up until this point had allowed them to ignore. Varia too was a man of action over words. He felt too deeply for the languages he had been taught to convey. 

All but one, that is. 

“Get up.” Maddox said, tightening the bandages on his arm to make sure they would hold. “I’m not going to spend the night holed up in a dark as pitch cave system with a broody demon of the dark. Thinking is not your strong suit, Varia. I’ll let you say all the things you need to, for I have a few things to tell you as well.” Maddox gave a crooked smile as he shifted the rabbit and the fire off to one side. “Don’t let this broken arm fool you. I’m still pretty eloquent with my fists. Or are you a sensitive bloke now, gonna write poems about your feelings instead?”

Varia’s gaze shifted up to Maddox, and for a moment he seemed confused. But it lasted a brief moment, before Varia slowly rose to the challenge. He was a warrior after all. This is what he knew. “You’re useless to me dead, so I’ll attempt to pull my punches.” The commander spoke. Maddox had grinned, gleeful that his invitation had been excepted. That grin turned downright feral as Varia said he would pull his punches, or at least attempt to. The demon had to know Maddox would afford no such consideration and for Varia to do so was at his own risk. That Varia was going to even attempt to treat him like a cripple angered Maddox even though it was somewhat valid. But he was never one to admit his weakness, least of all before a foe. So he said nothing to discourage the other his folly and prepared for battle.

A battle it was, though of a different sort than he had imagined. Varia had aimed low, as was expected considering there was hardly anywhere else he could reach. Maddox found himself having to use his non-dominant hand to compensate for his injury, so his elbow to Varia’s back, while probably painful, was not as successful at dislodging the other as he might have hoped. In such a small dark space Maddox was unable to keep his hold and bearing, grounded by Varia though that was not as much a hindrance has one might fear. Yes he was on Varia’s level, but also Varia was level with his fists and Maddox introduced him to both several times. Varia fought like a hellion and Maddox found himself enjoying the others ferocity. There was only one slight problem. 

The grappling and wrestling meant that Maddox was very close to the other. If Maddox thought the other smelled nice unwashed, he smelled even better with a few layers of dirt off of him. It was that same nostalgic smell, that same longing that pulled at Maddox’s gut when he smelled it. It was distracting and more than once he found himself biting Varia just to get the other to move further away or at least where Maddox couldn’t inhale him. But usually that ended up with Varia straddling him way more often than Maddox thought he would like. Perhaps he was still dazed from the blast earlier, or perhaps he had simply gone too long without release and his body was waffling between violence and sex. Whatever the reason, this scuffle between them was morphing into something he couldn’t deal with and which Varia was the wrong outlet for. As he reached up and grabbed Varia by the throat with his injured hand, squeezing as much as he could, he smirked through the busted lip Varia had given him. “You seem to like riding me, Varia. Are you sure you weren’t bred for the bedroom instead?”

He regretted his taunt almost immediately. As if a switch went off, Varias gaze grew dark. A hand reached up, before slamming it against Maddox’s throat, causing the mans head to smack against the ground harshly, a satisfying choke leaving him from the force. Varia drew his face closer to Maddox, his grip tightening on the others throat as well, unhindered by any form of injury, a silent, yet dangerous warning. "Watching you drown in your own blood would be the most satisfying thing to ever happen to me." He whispered, his eyes locked with Maddox’s once more, so close his breath tickled the other mans lips. 

Apparently he had struck a nerve. The swift change in Varia was almost enough for Maddox to regret his words. Almost. But there was something...off about the way Varia was looking at him. It was more than the usual feral hunger to hurt and be hurt, to vent. At some point in their tussle Varia’s eyes had come to hold a different kind of hunger, one that Maddox knew all too well. But that Varia should hold such a hunger towards him was what threw Maddox and may have partially inspired his words as a way to back-pedal. But even afterwards, after slamming Maddox’s head into the ground hard enough to make the other see black spots in his vision, that hunger persisted. 

Thank heavens for Brom and Sabre bursting in when they did. Had he been left alone with Varia another few moments, Maddox was sure things would have taken a sharp turn. Varia rose up off of him as the others moved into the hut, shoving Maddox’s head into the dirt as he moved from the others. He stepped away, moving to where he had dropped his cloak, picking it up and smacking the dust from it. “When are we moving?” he asked.

Maddox remained on the ground, calming his pulse and trying to push silly thoughts from his head. But in the gloom of the room he could still see Varia above him, much too close, with a hunger misplaced. What was most startling for Maddox was that he found he wasn’t 100% sure how he might have responded if that hunger had voiced itself or persisted so close. Even more, he was unsure what face he had shown to Varia in return. 

“We stopped so that everyone could heal, not so you two could re-injure yourselves.” Brom chided softly. “But if there are no more wrestling matches? A day or so.” Brom answered, crouching near Maddox in an attempt to check his arm. Maddox brushed him off, finally standing and heading out of the hut without another word. He needed a bath, and to cool off. Maddox headed for the water, taking off only things that might cause him to sink but otherwise remaining mostly dressed before diving it. His clothes were a mess anyway, best wash it all in one go. His broken arm appreciated the cold to help with the aggravated swelling pressing against the binding.

Sabre and Brom joined him near the pool, but Varia took to exploring the cavern. He kept close enough to stay in their sight, though if that was so he could watch them, or the other way around, Maddox didn’t know. Maddox had initially meant to fill Sabre in on current events, but his thoughts had been distracted by Varia and continued to be so even as they parted ways. Maddox found himself idly watching the other male wander off, allowing his mind to revolve around his increasingly complex feelings regarding the other. 

Complex. No, it was actually rather simple. It was not as if Varia were the first of his kind that Maddox had felt this way towards, just the first that would likely prove an equal. There had been other men that had been opposed to Maddox. Men who he found attractive exactly for their opposition and whose attractiveness grew as they continued to thwart him. Perhaps once he bedded Varia he would lose interest, as he often did. Varia was already less a rival now that they were not on opposing sides, so all that was left was to sleep with him and completely sever the attraction. If only things were so simple. But the enigma that was Varia seemed determined not to cease to intrigue.

– Varia –

Varia wouldn't go too far, and no matter where he went, he knew eyes were on him. He had seen something in Maddox’s eyes, a deep longing, something foreign to him, yet also so familiar. Varia looked a particular way, and he was well aware of it. He was attractive, his striking features and small frame made him a symbol of sex for many men in his military, but combined with his celebrity status, he was all too aware of what lust looked like. He had been the object of affection for many people in the past, though he rarely allowed himself to be won over. He picked who he chose to bed, and no matter who he chose, he always maintained an aggressive control over whomever he took. Maybe that's what happened just then. Varia was always in control, no matter who was topping who, but with Maddox it would be a struggle he would certainly enjoy. The sudden realization that he was, once more, imagining his former enemy locked in a bloody and passionate embrace with himself jarred him. He snapped out of his thoughts, casting a glare around himself, as if he assumed someone would be near and would know what he was thinking of. He was disturbed by his own thoughts of Maddox. He had never felt a desire quite like what he had felt just then. With a brooding scowl, he turned around to start heading back towards the group, disgusted with himself.

He had walked so quickly, he hadn't realized how far he had ventured from his group. He could still see them, Brom tinkering off in the distance with some artifact, Sabre trying to catch fish from the small river, and Maddox, nearly fully clothed, sitting in the pool of water. Even from a distance, Varia could feel the captains gaze on him, and for a moment, their eyes met once more, thankfully far enough away that the strange and sudden lust couldn't be seen in each others gaze. 

Varia took a step back towards the other, a sudden wash of power spread through his body. It was familiar still, yet chilled him to his very bone. There it was again. He had felt it at the fork in the caves. Something stirring in the deep, something malicious, something evil. He had instinctively turned away from whatever it could have been, though anything living so deep in the ground could very well be his kin.

Varia turned his head around, gazing around the cavern, attempting to locate whatever kept calling to him from the darkness. There was nothing to be seen yet again, but the presence was much stronger than it had been at the cross roads. The air around Varia had grown thick, heavy, practically dripping with malicious intent. Varias breath was suddenly visible, as if the temperature in the cavern had plummeted, but it hadn't. The power swirling unseen through the air was immense, causing reaction all around it. Whatever had been watching them was drawing near.

A breeze had wafted into the cavern, something that should have been unlikely, but as it did, dark whispers in an ancient language arrived with it. It was an old language, a dark language, the speech that had been long forgotten at the dawn of mankind. It was demonic, evil, and though Varia couldn't understand the words, the feeling that came with it bore no good feelings. 

Varia turned as the whispers began, though once he had, they changed. The darkness was screaming at him. It was as if his mind had left his body, and had begun assaulting him physically rather than mentally. His expression didn’t give away his fear, it didn’t give away the way he recognized the darkness suddenly surrounding him. His gaze was stern as usual, his scowl darkening as he listened. He had noticed the shadows around him bubbling, as if he were standing on a black, boiling swamp, but they weren’t his. He was not commanding them to surround him so. His own shadows swirled near his feet, dripping upwards like smoke, wrapping around his legs and waist, almost defensively.

_We don’t have a day. We have to leave now._

Varia constantly had to ignore the screaming of his own mind, so as he turned to the others, he seemed unaffected to the untrained, but it was clear to those who knew him he was shaken. Without a word, he left the swirling shadows that had begun to surround him, moving quickly back towards the others. "Get up. We are leaving now." He called, his voice unusually calm despite the hellish surroundings that had grasped the cavern. Though as he neared the others, the screams in his mind reached a new pitch, screeching into his ears, louder than the others would hear. Caught off guard by the sudden animosity, Varias hands clamped over his ears, stumbling, before he was down. Now on his knees, he reeled over, pressing his forehead into the ground, his teeth grit. It was a normal sight for Brom, when Varias own mind began its assault, but he had been good lately. He had thought he was doing better, and though he knew it wasn't him, he had reverted to the small, scared child he would always become during his own episodes. A choked gasp left him, and as if fueled by the sudden display, the cavern around them shook violently. 

The next thing he knew, he was being lifted by someone. “Oh no, pint size! You better keep your shit together!” Maddox’s voice growled as he lifted Varia onto his shoulder like a sack of flower. The others had already begun rushing into a tunnel marked by the circle, signifying that it lead to the outside. A feral growl left Varia as he was hoisted up onto Maddox’s shoulder. The screams were still shrieking in his mind, but as he lifted his head to protest, his words caught in his throat. They were moving, but behind them, the cavern had become black, a swirling void seemed to follow them. But that heavy void had begun to take shape, a tall shape. A humanoid shape. Varia stared back into the blackness as Maddox carried him, icy eyes focused now on the crimson glow peering back to him. The screams had finally stopped, but instead, the demonic creature behind them had begun to move forward. The creature shifted a hand out, long, clawed fingers extending towards Varia and Maddox. Varia lifted himself on Maddox’s shoulder, small hands gripping at the mans back tightly, before the creature suddenly made its move.

It surged forward, the shadows around it shrieking as it shot towards the pair. The creature was on them in a second, its massive arm lifting above the two of them, prepared to strike them both down. Varia, luckily, had a full line of sight. Maddox didn’t seem to notice, seeming more focused on escaping the dark. Varias foot pushed out, his boot slamming into the wall of the cavern, before he pushed off with force, sending him and Maddox both tumbling to the ground, and out of the way. The demon had brought its arm down swiftly, solid claws smashing into the ground where they had been only seconds before. Varia hit the ground hard, but he sitting up in a second. Behind the demon, he could see Sabre and Brom, both men cut off from him and Maddox now, before he looked back towards the massive creature before him. The creature was massive, long limbed, with horns protruding from the darkness of its head. It didn’t seem to be a solid mass, almost appear as if it were made entirely of shadows, but it was.

The creature peered down at Varia as well, crimson eyes boring into him, but Varias gaze remained defiant as well. Crimson eyes flickered briefly to Maddox, before the demon surged forward once more, claws extended in an attempt to tear Varia in two. Varia quickly stepped to the side, the swing of the monsters barely missing him. But as Varia recovered from his dodge, the creature swung its arm back again, connecting the back of its massive hand with Varias gut, slamming the small commander into the wall near them. Varia groaned, crumpling to the ground for a moment, catching his breath.

But the demon didn’t intend to give him a chance to recover, slashing out wildly with its claws once more. Varia was hardly ever pinned down, and when he was, it never stay that way. His eyes narrowed dangerously as the demon moved forward once more, before the shadows that had been twitching and churning beneath them suddenly sprung from the ground, solidifying, and penetrating straight through the demons arms and torso. If the demons face were able to show expression, it would have probably appeared to be surprised at the sudden vicious attack. Before the demon had a chance to recover, Varia was on his feet, another wave of spiral shadows ripping into the demons body. The demon roared, an unearthly sound, but Varia had already snatched Maddox’s arm and was moving towards the path Brom and Sabre had secured. Despite how he appeared, he truly had no intention of fighting some ancient demon, despite the obvious amplification of his own abilities. "Hurry the fuck up!" He snapped back to Maddox.

Varia had a vice grip on his arm and was pulling him down the tunnel at breakneck speed. Panic kept Maddox’s legs moving fast enough to keep up, his mouth shut to any snappy comebacks. He wanted, no, needed, out of the tunnels, out of the dark. But sunlight was not to be had even as they broke free of the tunnels and into the open air. It was early dawn, the sky pale but no where near light enough to combat the dark that followed them from the deep. The light pierced through the inky, swirling darkness around them, drawing closer with every step. Varia didn’t need to turn to know the demon had escaped his attack and was closing in on him. He didn’t need to see the fear on Sabres face, or the worry on Broms. The creature of darkness was his kin, and he could feel the massive presence drawing close to him. As soon as they were clear of the confined space Maddox dove for the blade in Brom’s hand which was gladly surrendered to him. Maddox fell to his knees, away from the cavern entrance, and held the blade close. 

The shadows outlining the light shot upwards, effectively blocking Varia from the others. He hadn’t been certain the demon could follow them beyond the cave, but there it was, closing in. Varias sprint slowed to a stop, his nose crinkling with what appeared to be a look of disgust, before he turned back to face the darkness. It slithered from the shadows, the demon did. 

Now, in the dim light, Varia could see it fully. His initial observation had been true. The demon didn’t appear to be solid, appearing as if it were just a swirling mass of darkness, but beneath what now appeared to be merely a cloak of shadow, was a form. Black as the void, it stood at least 8 feet tall, easily dwarfing the already vertically limited commander. It's dark hide rippled with muscle, its arms appeared almost too long for its body, long fingers, curved and sharp, brushed just above where its knees may have been. From the waist down, it was formless, just swirling blackness, almost appearing as a dark smoke. Even its face had features, a strong jaw, sharp, rigid. Bright crimson eyes glowed from the void. Large horns shot straight from its forehead, curving inwards, and ending in a severe point, 3 feet tall at least. It was an imposing demon, peering down at Varia as the small man faced it, but it didn’t attack, not yet. Instead, those eyes shone with what could only be described as curiosity.

The demon peered down at Varia, before it slowly cocked its head to the side, the black void opening to reveal a mouth, framed with long, black fangs. Its voice was rich and guttural, and its tongue was like the boom of thunder as it spoke an ancient and dark language.

**"Uglúk bagronk sha pusdug klob búbhosh skai."**

It meant nothing to Varia, but the lapse in aggression had piqued his interested. He didn’t respond, merely watching the demon before him. It was trying to communicate to him, and though he knew he should attack, he was intrigued.

**"Ash nazg durbatulûk Dor’goth."**

Ice met fire as Varias gaze locked with the demon, listening intently to its words, but not understanding them. The demon seemed to realize that, a sudden rumble sounding deep within the creature.

"I am Dor’goth. What are you called, little one?" The demon spoke again, this time in a familiar language, in Arcturian. How this Dor’goth knew the language wasn’t clear, but Varia felt his brow crease regardless. He nearly didn’t respond, understanding hostility well enough to know that the temporary lapse in aggression would not last, but his curiosity seemed to grasp his tongue, forming the words for him. "Varia." That was all. Varia had never been one for conversation, even with an ancient demon.

“Human, you possess remarkable strength for someone with your affliction. I have answered your call, and I will relieve you of your burden." Dor’goth voice was calm and deep, yet it brought a sinking feeling of dread onto Varia. He didn’t need to ask, he knew what the demon meant, besides referring to his height as an 'affliction'. "I am not burdened, demon." He spoke, his own voice calm, his face emotionless, yet his feet shifted against the soft ground ever so slightly, his hands, while at his side, had also began to move, slowly, into a position he would soon need to be in. "Oh, but you are, Arcturian. Burdened with the darkness. I can feel it in you, consuming you. It is a gift you should not have, and I will relieve you of it." Varia clicked his tongue in annoyance. 

_Even ancient demons don’t know when to shut the hell up._

A quick glance to the others was all that the demon needed, as soon as Varia tore his icy gaze from the demons smoldering one, Dor’goth had moved, quickly lashing out with a clawed limb, talons smashing into the ground where Varia had been moments ago. Varia sensed its movements, and kept to the side. Before the demon had a chance to recover, Varia had unleashed hell down upon him. Shadows shrieked around them, swirling around Varias feet in a massive show of power, before lashing out wildly, slamming into trees and cracking stones nearby, tearing through Dor’goths ghastly body once more, swirling and ripping and shredding as it assaulted the ancient beast. Though Dor’goth seemed to feel the pain as his limbs were torn from his body and cast aside by the vicious onslaught of Varia, he turned just as quickly. Shadows, not unlike Varias, shot from around him, like dark legs protruding from his back. Varia was quick though, and small. Much smaller and far more powerful than any human or other gifted being Dor’goth faced in centuries. He appeared to dance through the attack with ease, twisting and turning to avoid being slain by the demons attack.

"Spry little shit." Dor’goth growled, to himself, but an almost smug expression passed through Varias eyes at that. Affirmation of his abilities, especially from foes, and especially from ancient demons, was always welcomed by him. Varia had outmaneuvered the attack, and he quickly turned back towards his new enemy, hands lifting and stretching out before him. Wisps of shadows danced along his arms, and a swirling void behind him seemed to boom with untapped power. The shadows beneath where Dor’goth stood swirled, before shooting upwards, tearing through blackness as if it were flesh, causing the demon to cry out as he was shoved upwards, and then slamming back into the face of the mountain. By now, the rumbling of the cave system had grown exponentially, cracking and crumbling from where they had just been.

The area was too confined for the sudden massive displays of power which pulled at the darkness from inside. As Dor’goth crumbled onto the ground where he had fallen, Varia cast another glance towards the others, and the wall of shadows keeping him separated. It was still there, preventing Brom and Sabre from providing aid, and preventing him from fleeing the dark and seeking solace in the forest. 

His eyes turned back to Dor’goth, he felt his stomach sink. He should have known this would not be as easy as it appeared. The limbs that had been torn from the demon lay around them, pieces of darkness melting into an inky liquid, slithering across the forest floor and reattaching themselves to their host. There was no blood, and as the limbs fused back to the demons body, Dor’goth rose. "Your effort is futile, human. I am your ancestor, your god. I am the darkness in your mind. You cannot kill the darkness!" Dor’goth roared to Varia, before surging forward at a remarkable speed. A massive hand reached out to grasp Varia, slamming the commander back against the mountain, high above any place Varia could possibly gain his footing. Varia gasped, held stiff by Dor’goth, struggling to no avail against his deadly grasp. He could feel his torso screaming in pain from the blow he had received earlier, and now this one.

"I intend to unleash hell on this world, and your power will fuel my conquest." Dor’goth hissed as he leant closer to Varia. A forked tongue snaked from the void, trailing against Varias neck and up to his temple, causing the commander to cringe away in disgust. "Mm, yes. You will serve me well, little one." Dor’goth whispered, a chuckle in his voice, before his mouth opened once more, revealing a massive, swirling darkness with no end. His jaw lowered far, unhinging as if he were a python, before he began to descend on Varia. Varia closed his eyes tightly, gritting his teeth, before a sudden and massive surge of power flowed through him. 

The area Turned pitch, all light was consumed, before a shriek ripped through the air, all of the darkness suddenly shrinking into one area around Varia. It swirled for a second, before a massive, spiraled, angry, tower of screaming shadow shot upwards, impaling Dor’goth through the jaw, slamming his mouth shut viciously as it cracked through the top of his head and crashed through the trees above. The demon gurgled, crimson eyes wide as it stared up at the sky, vision growing dimmer with each beat of his ancient heart. His arms went limp, dropping Varia to the ground roughly. Varia hit with a grunt, a shooting pain stabbing at his side. He took pause, briefly, before the shadows under Dor’goth began to bubble near his face. He scrambled to his feet, stepping back from the demon and turning quickly, keeping Dor’goth in his sights as he stepped back towards the others. 

Dor’goth was frozen for the longest time, before he began to violently spasm. The twitches were massive, rippling through the demons body and causing the tremors in the ground to amplify. Varia stood for a moment, watching as the demon entered into what appeared to be death throes, before he moved. He caught himself stumble, his hand moving to grasp at his waist briefly, before he steadied himself, moving towards the others, certain of the demons death. The wall of shadows had begun to waver, pulsing in and out as their master writhed in pain. An opening appeared, and Varia pushed through, before turning back once more to make sure the demon would stay.

When he turned, crimson eyes had managed to find their way back to his. Dor’goth tried to speak, but only a gurgle left his throat as he locked eyes with Varia. His hand reached out, grasping at the air desperately, before his eyes narrowed. As if in a flash, Dor’goth suddenly lost physical form, becoming what appeared to be a tendril of black smoke. As Varia began to turn away, nearly stepping free of Dor’goth, the demons essence slammed into him, wrapping him tightly in his coils. It wasn't something he could hold, but as Varias mouth opened to protest, Dor’goth took his opening, the entirety of the vapor he had become poured into Varias mouth, allowing himself to become fully consumed by the small man. Varia gasped, his hands moving to grasp at his throat as he was brought to his knees by the invasive last stand of the demon.

Varia lurched back to his feet, shoving past his companions, pressing his body into a tree trunk. He doubled over, vomiting violently into the shrubbery. The blackness that was expelling from his body was like sludge. It was tasteless, but that meant little to Varia. Maddox had finally lifted his head, Varia noting how he watched him closely once more, but at that moment Varia retched again, desperate to expel the demon from his body. He wasn’t sure what this meant, what it could mean, what would happen. He felt Dor’goth inside of him, settling down, before he vanished, as if he had never been there. Varia could have been convinced, but the burn in his throat, the black tar he was vomiting, the pain in his ribs… 

He stared down at the sludge as it dripped from his lips, pooling onto the soft grass below him. The darkness on the ground seemed to spread, swallowing him in it’s abyss, blocking the sun, blocking his companions. 

For a moment, he could hear that deep, rumbling chuckle echo inside of his mind.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dor'Goth sleeps which allows the group to get some much needed rest. They make the decision to go to the elves for help. But as they make their way to E'letaesi, something else begins hunting them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi hi! I hope you're all doing well. I'm becoming more comfortable writing and posting these chapters. As usual, feedback is encouraged and appreciated! 
> 
> I've also done some edits to chapter 1 to make it a smoother read. 
> 
> Please enjoy this chapter, and please consider leaving feedback!

\- Maddox -

The deep dark of the caves coupled with an ancient demon had been enough to thoroughly disturb Maddox. Yet watching Varia display a level of power he had never witnessed perhaps shocked him the most. He felt useless then, knelt on the ground, whispering to his sword, trying to will the damned thing to light and chase away the abyss.

As the demon, this Dor’Goth fight with the Demon of Arcturus, his fear gradually reached a manageable level as his body acknowledged being out in the open and in the sun. As Dor’Goth feigned defeat and jumped down Varia’s throat he was less disturbed than Brom and Sabre. Maddox could see Brom struggling with himself, his knuckles white as he grasped his daggers. He was considering killing Varia, unsure if Varia was still himself. Sabre stood back from the others, prepared to take off into the trees and leave the rest behind.

Maddox felt a hell of a lot better once Dor’Goth took residence inside of Varia. In a physical body, in Varia’s body, he could kill it. In Varia’s body the demon was just another over-powered human that he could label dangerous and eliminate; that he chose Varia’s body especially made it an old hat at this point. It may complicate the idea of having an extended alliance, but that had always been in flux. The point was that the monster that Maddox had no recourse to fight, was now contained in a form that enabled him to fight back.

That helped his legs to move, slowly rising to his full height. His elven blade was in hand as he advanced on Varia. He moved to stand behind Varia as he spat into the bushes, the tip of his sword pressing against the side of Varia’s neck.

“Are you in control?” Maddox’s voice sounded much steadier than he actually felt. The blade had finally begun to glow, and it’s light was steady. It indicated that the demon was likely not active. If he was, the glow would be brighter, aggressive. The sword would hum loudly, frantic and aggravated. “Can you feel him? I need to know that you are in control, Varia. That you can keep control, or at least give warning if you can’t.”

“Oh, fuck off!” Varia spat back at him, with no small amount of annoyance and malice. “Even if I wasn’t in control, what would you do? Curl into a ball and _cry_?” Maddox allowed his sword to drop from Varia’s neck when he spoke like that.

_If the brat didn’t have his shadow powers, would he have been so brave in the face of that demon?_

He was annoyed. The others had seen him break down. They didn’t understand. They hadn’t been there. None of them deserved an explanation. Varia wouldn’t likely care for one either. Maddox wouldn’t have been much use to Varia if he had attempted to help anyway.

That Varia responded in such a predictable fashion seemed to relieve everyone. Sabre relaxed and Brom’s tense grip on his daggers eased.

_Far be it for the little prick to notice I’m the only one out of the group not convinced he needs to die right now._

Maddox lowered his sword and allowed Varia to storm away. Varia was behaving much like himself, and that told Maddox that the demon was sleeping. He wasn’t sure how long Dor’Goth may need to recover, but the sun was rising higher. A creature of the dark like that was certainly weakest in the light. They had an entire day to get someplace safe

“The tunnels are no longer an option. We need a new plan.” Sabre spoke, the three of them beginning to follow the carnage Varia left through the thick brush. They followed at a distance, past low hanging branches, trudging through the mud. They walked for hours, the forest slowing their procession before Varia finally stopped. He slid down a tree to sit, indicating that exhaustion had finally caught up to him. Varia only offered the others a brooding scowl. Maddox watched as he slowly pulled his shirt up, revealing a blackened bruise across his ribs. It was painful looking enough that Maddox nearly cringed, but Varia did not speak, did not ask for help. Maddox sat near Sabre, Brom moving towards Varia to attempt to tend to him.

“While we have the light on our side we should rest. Until we have other safeguards, it’d be ill-advised for us to travel at night. Even if the demon is weakened, it may use him to recover under the cloak of darkness. Run off with Varia’s body.” Maddox thought out loud. Brom was waved away by Varia, his brother joining him and Sabre on the ground.

“Suddenly the expert on demons, are you?” Brom asked, throwing him a skeptical glance. He was clearly not thrilled with Maddox, nor the situation they all had found themselves in. “Not so sudden.” Maddox murmured, his eyes on Varia, taking in his wounds, watching the other close his eyes and rest his head back against the trunk of the tree.

“I don’t carry an elven sword because they are nifty. I’m not terrified of demons because I know too little about them, just the opposite. Varia is by far the least of the demons Arcturus holds.” Sabre and Brom both cast curious looks to Maddox then. Maddox was alluding, and he wouldn’t divulge, not yet. Brom stared at him for a long moment, before he rose to his feet. “I’m going to gather supplies.” He said, disappearing into the trees.

Maddox watched him go, a soft sigh leaving his lips. Sabre was still watching him, eyebrows raised as he waited for an explanation that would not come. Maddox shook his head a bit, clearing his throat. “We should find the elves. The dark elves would likely know most about whatever that thing is, but they are just as likely to want to harness it. The light elves would know how to extract it and have better means of keeping it at bay, but they may also kill him on sight. That leaves the wood elves, which… may not allow us passage.” Maddox spoke, mostly to Sabre.

Sabre sniffed, swiping a hand under his nose. “Elves? Fairly elusive creatures. How do you intend on finding them?” Sabre asked, before he gestured to Maddox’s sword. “I assume you’ve had dealings with them before. I’ve never met any clans, only those who live as man.” Sabre asked.

“The wood elves? They live in the Graves, E’letaesi, do they not?” Varia suddenly spoke from where he sat. Maddox had thought he asleep for a moment, but he had been listening. He was surprised Varia knew of the Graves, or at least their true name. Before Maddox could express his surprise and to confirm what Varia knew, Sabre spoke.

“Allegedly. What do you know about elves? There are no elves in Arcturus anymore.” Sabre taunted, his tone not short of venom. Varia didn’t turn his eyes to Sabre, instead watching Maddox. “I’ve read of them.” He replied.

“Read? Arcturus doesn’t allow breeders to read.” Sabre shot back, his eyes rolling. Maddox was also surprised Varia claimed to be able to read. Maddox had learned late in life and still had trouble with more complex texts. When and where Varia had come to acquire the skill was beyond Maddox, though it was not an unwelcome revelation.

“The Graves shouldn’t be far, it spans most of Er Rai, doesn’t it? If they elves can help us, we need to go there.” Varia stated, his words directed at Maddox once again. Another surprise. It seemed as if Varia not only acknowledged that he may need help, but he wanted it. Besides that, Maddox detected an out of place glee and earnestness in Varia’s insistence.

It was true that the elves they sought were likely close by, getting to the Graves would be the easiest of their tasks. E’letaesi, the Graves, was a massive forest. It cut Er Rai down the center, only three breaks in the trees to allow passage of man. The trees were taller than average, closer together. There were tales of them moving, breathing. Most wrote those off as rumor, but Maddox knew. For every tree in the Graves was an elf, or had once been. Heart trees, sisters and brothers to the wood elves. They were alive, more so than normal plants. Once a body was placed into the ground, a sapling would grow in it’s stead, reaching heights it never had, surrounded by brethren once more.

“I’ve had… dealings. Not all positive.” Maddox finally spoke, answering Sabre’s question. His gaze had shifted from Varia’s eyes back to his sword. He felt the bitter edge of sadness pull at his chest, but willed it away. “Even if we can navigate the trees and reach the elves, there is no guarantee that they will help, nor will we know what they will want in return. Elves are still Fae, after all. If they sense our need, they could take advantage of us.” It had been many years since Maddox had gone to the Graves. He was not sure who the ruling clan may be. “If we find them, we may only be able to gain healing services. Have you any elven villages recently?” Maddox turned his question to Varia. The elves tended to stay out of human politics and war, but there were enough factions allied with the various empires to have had run-ins with Varia. Arcturians weren’t known for having a kind nature towards those who weren’t from the ice.

“None that I can recall.” Varia replied, dead pan. Maddox had to resist the urge to roll his eyes.

_Hardly encouraging. Recently could be anything, and for Elves, recently still encompassed the last fifty years. Perhaps that wasn’t the wisest question._ Maddox thought bitterly.

“We don’t have much to barter with, and not all of us are as charming as we could be.” Sabre spoke, shooting a scowl to Varia, before he turned back to Maddox. Maddox watched golden eyes move from his own and down to his sword. “In any case, if we intend to disguise ourselves and search for a clan in the Graves, we will need to resupply. We lost much in the explosion, and more still when we had to leave the caves in such a hurry.” Sabre let out an exhausted sigh, kneeding the flesh between his eyebrows. “We can’t parade you two about Er Rai without a disguise. Everyone knows the Hero of Er Rai, and even here Varia is recognizable.”

Sabre was right. Varia’s reach was far, stretching beyond the seas of Arcturus and Nihal. Maddox’s gaze met Varia’s face again. He was striking, clearly Arcturian. The dark hair, those piercing eyes. Couple that with his dwarvish stature, and he would surely be recognized. Many had suffered loss at his hands, and all it would take is one well placed arrow. And they desperately needed supplies. They had nothing more than the clothes on their backs and the weapons they carried with them. They could forage for food and water, but they would need new clothes, medical supplies.

“You’re right. You and Brom will need to sneak into a town, grab what you can, perhaps gather information if anyone remains. There are plenty of towns in these woods. It’s a good day out. If everyone hasn’t been run in because of the attack on the capital, we may be able to hope for laundry, get some change of clothes.” Maddox spoke, his eyes shifting as Brom returned, arms full of herbs and berries.

Brom sat onto the grass, gathering two large rocks to grind the herbs into a paste. “So we are raiding villages, and then heading….?”

“To the elves.”

Brom stopped grinding and looked to his brother, down to the sword, then back to him again. “The elves? I though you were not permitted.” Brom spoke, glowering at Maddox as if he had lied or set him off course.

“We don’t have a choice. I’d rather talk to the elves than go underground again.” Maddox responded, receiving a glare in return. Brom shifted from where he had mashed the herbs, silent as he smeared the pasted onto his own wound before sliding to where Varia sat to tend to his own.

The rest the group took had been short. Within the hour the group began to move once more. The sound of water drew them to a small stream, and following it west led them to a lake. A fishing village sat on the waters edge. Small canoes were tethered to wooden piers, tin buckets lined the shores. The closer they drew, Maddox realized the village was quiet. Perhaps they had fled due to the bombing. Perhaps soldiers had come through, emptying the population. It was hard to determine the cause from where they stood, hidden by the trees.

“Sabre and Brom should check the houses. If there’s anyone left, they could be looking for you and I. We’ll search the outskirts, take whatever is outdoors.” Maddox spoke to Varia as they spied the edge of the town and the first of the cabins.

Brom and Sabre moved through the houses, footsteps muffled by years of training. Maddox watched them from the brush, Varia watched the two disappear between the wooden homes, before he glanced towards Maddox. “Why do the elves no longer permit you to go to them?”

That bitter sadness gripped Maddox once more. His eyes lowered to his sword briefly as Varia spoke, before returning to the desolate town. “Because I am tainted and I bring them misfortune, or so they believe. I killed one of them once. The circumstances surrounding the death, that elf’s rank among the clans, and the aftermath earned me their spiritual aversion. They don’t hate me, so don’t hold out hope that they will band together with you to kill me.” Maddox spoke with a sideways smirk at Varia. “They just cannot get to close or speak with me without precaution, and for me to walk into someplace like E’letaesi is tempting their gods to strike me down.”

Maddox gave a heavily edited version of the story to Varia, glossing over all the painful details. Even if it hadn’t been Varia asking, he may have done so regardless. They still haunted him, after all. That was evident in his continued fear of the deep dark. After the run in with the demon in the caves, Maddox was even more aware of his past and felt it hovering just beneath the surface. He dreaded the next time he had to sleep, for he was sure nightmares akin to terrors would grip him. If nothing else, he wanted to see the elves for their sleeping tinctures. He hadn’t needed them in a while, but he would spend his entire fortune on a month’s worth just to be able to sleep soundly again.

Varia had listened to him curiously, but hadn’t pressed for more. The glean in his eye told Maddox he was not through with questions, though he thankfully refrained, at least for now. “You cause me misfortune, so that seems fair.” Maddox snorted out a chuckle at that, unable to disagree. Varia had also been direct cause for much misfortune in Maddox’s life.

“Quickly. Just because we see no one, does not mean they are not out there.”

Maddox crept to the edge of a house closer to the woods. The town was quiet. A shroud of death hung over it more than just one of mourning. Maddox quickly swiped some hanging laundry quickly without much care for what he was grabbing. He paused briefly to take a sheet from the line, intending to cut it into strips to wrap his sword with. Without it’s scabbard, the makeshift bindings would have to do until they reached the Graves.

Varia was with him, a woven basket in hand as he filled it with clothing from the lines. “Demons, spies, genocide… Er Rai is beginning to feel like Arcturus.”

_Was that a joke?_

Varia was certainly full of surprises. Maddox wasn’t sure if that had meant to cause him to chuckle again, but it had. Varia hadn’t glared at him or told him to shut up, so perhaps it had meant to be a jest.

Maddox’s response had stalled though. Varia’s eyes had been drawn towards a small church, and Maddox’s followed. Their companions were near it as well, likely feeling the same dark magics that Maddox and Varia had sense. Maddox could practically see the malevolence seeping through the steeples. There was death there.

Sabre turned back to Maddox, his eyes wide. Maddox lifted a hand to Varia, instructing him silently to stay where he was. Maddox moved closer to Brom as his brother peered through the window of the church.

Maddox was no stranger to gruesome deaths, but the piles of bodies and stains of red were still tragic. Seeing the bodies made him feel better in a way. The things they were taking would not be missed. However, the entire village was likely there in the church. A heavy miasma of magic hung in the building, cloying and choking off his air.

_Blood magic._

There were many such magics, and Maddox was called to know what had been wrought. Was something being summoned or created? Perhaps it was just a dark sorcerer fueling his power. That would be the most benign. But the bodies were neatly piled, as if the townsfolk had grouped themselves together and then stayed in their circles as they were slaughtered. Opened at the chest and down, innards were visible. The stench was nauseating. Flies had already begun to gather in the church, so many it nearly obscured his sight. What concerned him the most was the way the guts moved and bubbled. There was a tome drawn in blood in the center of the circle of bodies.

“Blood beasts.” Brom confirmed what Maddox was seeing. Maddox turned his eyes down to the sword at his hip, the soft hum it emanated reaching his ears. “When it rains it pours.” He grumbled. “We need to go. We need to get as far as we can before nightfall. We can’t risk having Varia exposed to blood magic.”

It was especially concerning that they had stumbled upon these creatures now. Their scent would remain and soon the beasts would be fully formed and on the hunt. The symbol was one that would set the beasts to those with Arcturian blood. Brom and Maddox returned to where Sabre and Varia waited, before they began moving once more.

If those beasts were created so soon after the bombing of Emeriss, it was likely they were made for the sake of quickly hitting back at Arcturus. Those beasts were going to be set to hunt Arcturians. That posed quite a problem, as their party had three. Blood magic was frowned upon, and outright banned in most places across Er Rai, but it was largely ignored. The war had raged for so long that most efforts were concentrated in supporting Nihal, not in quelling the rather small population of blood mages.

The group moved quickly through the forest. There were trails carved into the dirt for carriages and horses to pass through. Maddox was thankful for the easy walk. His own exhaustion and pain was easier to ignore now that they weren’t climbing through thick brush. The sun was sinking lower and lower as they walked, and Maddox finally decided to camp for the night.

He set about getting wood for a fire. They would need to keep it stoked through the night. Brom set to work covering their trail and tossing clothes from the village on the flames to cover their scent. Maddox unwrapped the cloth bindings from his sword and dipped them into spring water that they had collected. He murmured soft spells as he re-wrapped the blade, before he lifted his head to eye Varia as the Arcturian settled away from the others, prodding and jabbing at the bruise on his side.

“Varia. You should rest before it gets too dark. Unless that thing is in complete hibernation, you’ll find sleeping difficult the later it gets. Until we reach the elves, I would rather not risk it.” Maddox called to him.

Varia didn’t respond, instead turning his back to the group as he lay on the ground, tugging his cloak around himself. Maddox watched him from over the fire, the other’s quiet as they busied themselves in setting up the small camp. Soon, Varia’s breathing deepened as he slipped into a sleep.

“We’d be better off killing him.” Sabre spoke, his voice low. Varia was asleep. He didn’t need to be so quiet. “What does your cell want with him? Not to kill him, I assume.”

Maddox understood Sabre’s weariness, even agreed with it to an extent. Maddox didn’t need to respond to Sabre, Brom did it for him.

“When we last convened, the intention was to ultimately put him on ice. Bring him out only in the event that Maddox and various other compatriots failed to bring Arcturus to heel. In the event he was to be activated the plan was to use his influence in the military and provinces to start a rebellion, destabilize the government, use his power to assist in night work operations.”

_To be a distraction while those like Brom killed key enemies behind the scenes. To be as much a weapon then as he was for Arcturus._

Maddox stared into the fire, his hands draped casually over his sword. The had been was to seal Varia’s power so it wouldn’t be a threat and to ship him off to the far continents to live out his days away from Er Rai and Nihal. But there were so many obstacles before they could even get that far.

“I’m sure the rest of the cell intended to kill him afterwards if he could not be repacified, shoved back into the box for next time. I made it clear that was not to be the result.” Brom spoke, his gaze lifting from where he sat to lock onto Maddox. It was not something Maddox wanted to argue about now. He was far too tired for that.

“Blood beasts usually have a particular quarry set by blood. If they come for us, it will be because we are Arcturians. You will be safe. Brom has taken care of our scent on the wind and in the forest. Unless we have left a blood trail we should be okay. Even if I agree to killing Varia, there is no way to do so now that would make things easier for us. Even supposing you and I could subdue Brom, any blood spilled by Varia could attract the beasts in droves. Not to mention that I’m not sure the demon in him would allow his death by average means. It’s more trouble than it’s worth, I assure you.”

Maddox suddenly grinned and draped his arm around Sabre, pulling the other close to him. “Just this of this as payback for all those times I told you not to cross me, and for that debacle in Kesir. Don’t worry, my friend. A few weeks, maybe a month of adventures to make you hate me, then I’ll have you back in the desert with sweet wine and whores galore.”

Sabre groaned at that, shaking his head as he wiggled in Maddox’s grip. “You’re a fool. You aren’t worth all of this, and you know it.” He grumbled, before he sighed. Sabre was not ready to let go of the seriousness of their situation. “Has anyone in your cell considered the fact that Varia does have massive influence with the Legion? Those men are fiercely loyal to him. Using him to start a civil was and create strife is great in concept, but it will be much more difficult to deal with Varia if he has an entire army at his back.”

“Varia doesn’t want to rule or fight. Even if you give him an army, he’d only use it to set himself free.” Brom chimed in, reminding Maddox and Sabre that he knew the little demon far better than they did. Maddox bought it, but he could see Sabre didn’t.

Sabre sighed at that, before he glanced to Maddox, lips curled in a devious smirk. His golden eyes seemed to glean with a knowing look. What he thought he knew, Maddox did not know. Perhaps he was thinking of the wrestling match he and Brom had interrupted in the caves.

“I doubt we’ll have much time during this little adventure to actually have any sort of fun. You’ll oew me once this is over. We’ll take an extended stay in Joren. Drink until we pass out. Fuck until we can’t move. That is what you’ll do to make this up to me.” Sabre declared. Brom rolled his eyes before he moved to curl near where Varia was, no longer wanting to listen to the debauchery Maddox and Sabre spoke of.

“Ah, don’t be so pessimistic. Once we leave the Graves, washed and patched, assuming they don’t kill us, there’s plenty of chance we’ll find something worthwhile. Maybe find you a nice local barn wench.” Maddox added, throwing another log onto the flames. “If only you had enough money to tempt me under you, for once.” he added with a wink. “I’ll empty my modest coffers for your entertainment in Joren. Now take a rest so you have a chance of making it that far.”

Sabre lay close to the fire, folding his arms behind his head, a chuckle leaving his lips. “I prefer tavern wenches. They’re readily available and eager to please the nephew of the Queen.”

Maddox chuckled in return, before allowing their camp to fall into a deep silence. He relished in it. In the quiet, he could safely think about the turning of events without worrying that the others may see or pick up on things he’d rather they not.

Outside of the deep dark, Maddox put on a brave show. Not many things scared him the way the underground did, but that was not to say he was without worry. But being a captain and carrying the weight of a country on his shoulders prevented him from appearing weary, afraid, worried. Maddox, more often than not, showed a jovial face outside of war. He drank, laughed, fucked and all of the things a successful and carefree man of the military was expected to do. Beneath all of that were his worries. His fears. Secrets. What he did not voice, but which each of his party likely gathered to varying extents, was that his agreement to the conversion and salvation of Varia had much to do with how much he saw himself in the other.

His brothers attachment aside, Maddox was not as convinced as he made it sound that he would have killed Varia before now. While Varia may hold a pent up need to explore while Maddox did nothing but, they both harbored a deep need for quiet, safety. Peace. It was something neither of them really understood or knew, but each fought desperately to gain. Maddox’s fear was that they would not know it when they had it. That their lives of fighting and violence had conditioned them too well to expect and anticipate conflict to the point of starting it. Maddox’s desire to rehabilitate Varia, to free the human in him was also a desire to do so in himself. To be rid of his nightmares, to lay down his sword, to adventure without a sense of purpose but with the anticipation of discovery and fun.

Maddox sat in silence, listening to the other’s sleep. His eyes traced the stars, naming the constellations in his head and recounting the legends about them. They were the only constant witness to his struggles and thoughts. The only friends he counted on having once this was all done. For among his company he knew their secrets numbered the stars and that it was unlikely that they would all survive their discovery.

His ear honed in on Varia as he slept. Small whimpers came from the bundle of fur that had distanced himself from the others. He was having nightmares. It was as if Varia’s crimes caught up to him while he slept. Maddox felt a deep sadness at the realization. He understood.

Maddox heard a change in Varia’s breathing only because he was listening for it. He didn’t look to him as he woke, but as he felt him rise and sit close to him he was surprised. He turned his head to Varia briefly as the other spoke, his voice heavy with sleep still. “We should move soon. The next time we stop, you need to rest. I can keep watch then.”

The glow of the fire threw attractive shadows over Varia’s face, giving him depth and youth all at once. Maddox was amused at the mundane things Varia spoke of. He wasn’t sure why it made him smile a bit. The other was usually so guarded with his words.

“I’d feel better if you kept day watch for a bit. At least until we consult the elves. You are less likely to hear whispers, to see things when it’s light out.” Maddox replied. Varia snorted in response.

Maddox understood the snort too well. How could he not? Varia might be vilified for it, but Maddox had ended just as many lives as the other. Of people who believed they were doing the right thing for the right cause. There would be no end to the whispers for a long time, if ever. That did not mean the voices had to get louder, nor the images to escape from the confines of one’s dreams. They understood each other, yes, much too well. It was that innate understanding, perhaps, that had them opening up to one another. Small things. Significant things. Things that meant little to anyone else, but they were small nuggets of sanity to them.

“Do you look at the stars much?” Maddox suddenly asked, not willing to allow them to drag on in silence. “When I was still in Arcturus it was all I ever did. Make up adventures and stories about the stars. My mother was a star-reader. Where we lived, the clouds and storms were fewer, especially in winter. The galaxies would reach over the ice and the hunters would disappear into it. Did you know there is a star called Varia?” Maddox searched the skies and pointed to a small star just left of a cluster of bright ones. “Just left of Way-Pointer and the Traveler’s Maiden.”

Varia was watching him then, for a long moment. He could sense the eyes on him, before Varia’s gaze followed Maddox’s to the sky. He was quiet for a long moment, and Maddox thought Varia perhaps preferred the silence.

“I don’t know where I was born, but I was raised in Akranes. The first time I realized there was something other than dark in the sky was my first trip to Nihal. I’d never seen anything so incredible in my life. I spent all night sitting just outside of my war camp, sat on a rock just staring up. I certainly suffered for it the next day, but I kept going. Anytime I’d leave Arcturus, I’d spend my nights gazing up at them. I never knew they named them.” A sigh left Varia’s lips as he spoke, a deep sadness in his tone.

“I was permitted to read when I turned 12. Arcturus has no writing on the skies, only ancient gods, Arcturian history and war tactics. The odd fable here and there, mythical histories, but nothing on stars. I never realized what had been stolen from me, not entirely. I didn’t think I would live long enough to begin caring about all that I’ve missed.”

Maddox listened, and understood again. He understood the sadness, the thought of losing a life by fighting for another. He knew the sight in Nihal and had spent many nights doing just as Varia had. He wondered for a moment if they had been out there together.

“You’re right. There are no stories written in Arcturus about the stars. But they do exist. The star-gazers of Arcturus, ones like my mother, believe that to write the stories is to make them fixed, to steal their freedom and obscure their light. The stories are always told, always shared between friends, families, lovers… even enemies. To tell them is to let them live, to write them is to put them in chains.” Maddox said, thinking of the many nights when he was young, pestering his mother for stories. “Nihal has many stories, written and not. I have tried in vain to get Sabre to take more interest in the sky he has been blessed with. Perhaps I will coax him into recounting the tales for you, they are quite amazing.”

_Sabre would never tell them if he thought it was because Varia wanted to hear them, and Varia would never ask._

“Your parents, if they knew of the story, must have loved you and wished you long life and many fellows. The star Varia is a tale about a wanderer who traveled the star road. She, my mother told it as the tale of a woman, but I have heard it told as a man, she was said to have been born alone in the sky, small and without much glow. She thought herself alone in the galaxy until a comet shot through the sky and asked her why she was by herself. Confused, Varia asked the comet if there were others and from where the comet came. She was told there were many across the skies and she asked the comet if she could join him.” As Maddox told the story, he inched closer to the fire, his eyes focused on Varia the man rather than the wanderer.

“There are many smaller tales, but in most, Varia comes across other stars. Sometimes alone, sometimes in small groups, and talks with them. She tells them of her sky and learns of theirs. Varia, seeing so many stars together and in such happiness, began to make up tales of her own sky, saying it was magnificent, creating in their minds a wondrous place. And they would flock there, eager to see this paradise where she was from. Though it began as a lie, because so many believed her, it became the sky you see now. It became her paradise. For every named star, there is a story of Varia. I don’t know them all.”

As Maddox recounted the tale to Varia, he watched the other. Varia’s eyes were fixed on the star that shared his name, his usual scowl relaxed. He appeared content.

“My parents didn’t name me. I was conceived purely for Arcturus. They were there when I was born, the Vaalar. They came with a wet nurse and inspectors. I wasn’t named until I was nearly six. I only answered to a series of numbers up to that point. Names are a privilege only those who have killed have. Vaalar Hancock named me. I never wondered the reasoning behind my name until now.” Varia murmured, pulling his knees to his chest.

Maddox knew of Vaalar Hancock. Everyone did. The breeder programs in Arcturus were run by the Vaalar, a group of high ranked officials. Most sat upon the council, running the country from their towers. They were all high ranked war veterans and had served in the war that collapsed the Aesir monarchy. Vaalar Hancock had been a mighty warrior, and remained mighty to this day. Maddox wasn’t sure if he believed Hancock named Varia. The name seemed to intimate, too hopeful for what the Vaalar wanted Varia to become. Whether the name had been picked out prior to Varia’s reception of it, or if there was a reason behind Hancock choosing it, Varia didn’t seem to know and Maddox supposed it didn’t matter. But the positive associations Maddox had with the star name made him think that once someone in Arcturus had harbored a wish for a bright future for Varia. Now that he had begun to know Varia, he was becoming more certain of that. After all, there were no stories in which Varia the Wanderer had gathered companions by violence.

“Where are you from? What village? I’ve always known you were Arcturian, but I’d never cared to ask.” Varia suddenly asked, a relief for Maddox. He wanted to talk to him, to absorb all that was Varia and his past. He wanted to know more. “You look it, you know. You’ve lost your accent, but you have the ice in your eyes and the sharpness of your features. The way you move is even Arcturian. Traits the ice breeds.”

“We are from Stjornu Vatnio. A small village on the frozen sea. Most have never heard of us, nor have they been so far out on the ice.” Maddox could count on his hands the number of times people from mainland Arcturus came to visit his village. Most often a few of the villagers ventured off to trade and would be gone for a month. Maddox had never gone on such a trip. “We speak a different language from the mainland, so my accent is probably unfamiliar. Learning elvish also tends to break one of any hard inflections. You are perhaps the only one that would take me for Arcturian now.” Maddox’s hair had once held darker roots, but years in places like Nihal with too much sun had bleached out most of the dark brown to a lighter blonde. It was strange to hear that some of his traits were typical of the place.

“I’ve never heard of your village. It’s probably for the best that I haven’t. Whenever we were dispatched to smaller towns, it was to purge remnants of the Aesir blood.” Varia said softly. He had pulled his knees to his chest, his chin resting upon them, gazing at the fire now rather than the sky. “I’ve traveled all over Arcturus, from the frozen forests of Krynskoye to the south, and through the Wall of the Sun mountains to the east. I’m not sure what the frozen sea is, but I’ve traveled along the Sea of Silence often. In the mountains of Miraovo I have my own hold. Mal’Dyr. I suppose it belongs to another now.” Varia trailed off into silence, and Maddox wondered briefly if he was mourning what he had lost when Arcturus turned on him.

Maddox lapsed into silence again, the crackle of the fire and the howl of the wind wrapped around them. It was oddly companionable, comfortable. As if they had always been part of the same war band. “When you are free of this, visit a place called Laksmi. It’s an island in the north. They have the largest glass library in the continents.” Maddox offered softly, tossing another log into the fire.

Varia’s head turned to Maddox as he spoke again, thick eyebrows raising in a mild and amused surprise. “You believe I will be free after this? If I am not killed in Arcturus or by your men, it won’t matter. I’ll never be free of Arcturus, or of war. And even if I was, I’m a criminal in every place. I’ll never be able to walk freely in places that have suffered because of the Demon of Arcturus.” His voice was calm, quiet, but the thick heaviness that always weighed him down was like a noose. “I don’t expect to live. I’ll do what you need me to do, but I will not make plans for a future I’ll never see.”

Maddox gave a soft chuckle at Varia’s words. “You think too much of Arcturus. The world is vaster than the conflicts we have here. There are places that have only heard a whisper of us and nothing of who you or I am. Laksmi would be a safe place for you. Many go there for knowledge and sometimes redemption if such is to be found among their pages. The keepers there care not who you are, only why you have come. They would welcome someone like you I think.” Maddox assured the other, looking from Varia’s face to the grass beneath his feet. “My brother means to see you freed, or to die trying. I don’t intent to let him die. So whether you expect it to work or not, fight for it as if you do.”

Silence enveloped them again, each in their own thoughts as the night wore on. Varia had likely woke to switch shifts, but Maddox found he was too wired to sleep. The others woke periodically and he closed his eyes, but he only ever dozed a few minutes before fear of nightmares would have his ears lock onto some sound or another to bring himself back to wakefulness.

The dawn came upon him quicker than expected, and they packed up the came and moved once it had. He remained on edge until it was bright out, allowing Brom and Sabre to lead once more. They had paused on a knoll to gather their bearings, allowing Sabre and Brom to pour over maps and set a course to a small village on the outskirts of the Graves. From the knoll, the massive shadow of the Graves was visible, stretching beyond where Maddox’s sight ended. Smoke rose from beyond another knoll, indication they were near the village. There was mild concern from Sabre and Brom that they may have difficulty navigating the Graves, but Maddox knew they would have no trouble finding the elves once inside. Varia was with them, which almost guaranteed that the elves would take notice. Maddox was there as well, which definitely meant someone would come to see just what the hell he wanted.

Maddox was not concerned that they would be killed, though the others were. Elves didn’t like to fight on their home turf because they didn’t like to spill blood among the trees. Someone like him, and someone like Varia would definitely not be allowed to die where their blood could taint the ancestors. Or worse, nourish their own trees. Worse case scenario they would be hit with sleeping darts and deposited to the far side of the forest, away from anywhere they could do harm. Which, if the elves wanted to cart his heavy ass a few dozen miles, they were welcome to it. Varia would probably be the most put out if that were the case. Maddox could see him practically bouncing on his toes, ready to go. It was enduring, cute even. If Maddox hadn’t been among the elves before, he may have been just as excited.

So far the blood beasts had not come upon them, but that meant little. They only knew what they were, and what they were after. They did not know how they hunted. It was too much to hope that they had been overlooked completely.

Brom and Sabre got them to the river village in good time, despite their injuries. Maddox was glad that it was still bustling and lively, with no sign that any dark magic had been worked there. He and Varia were given different clothes to cover their armor, and dirt was rubbed onto their faces, especially Varias, to hide their complexion.

“You look like you just rolled in the mud. Haven’t you ever had to do this before?” Maddox teased Varia, who had smeared the dirt more like war-paint on his cheeks. Maddox reached over and rubbed it more evenly over the other’s face. For a warrior and a man often exposed to the elements, Varia’s face was soft under his own calloused hands.

“There, a proper ragamuffin. Now just scowl as you normally do.” Maddox said, laughing at the glare Varia shot his direction.

Like most river villages, the people there were used to travelers coming and going. Riverfare was less now that more roads had been built through the country, but it wasn’t unusual still. Not many looked twice at them as they came into town. The only problem was their lack of substantial supplies and their even worse lack at Er Rian currency. But Maddox knew Sabre to be able to talk the undergarments off of a devout nun when he was on his game, so he allowed the others to do the talking. He stuck near Varia instead.

Varia moved through the town, his eyes lowering whenever anyone glanced their way. But whenever the crowds parted, his eyes would raise, drifting along the tables of the merchants. A pale hand reached out from under clothes that were much too big for him, fingers trailing gently across several wooden tokens.

“River guardians and fertility stones. Most of the river villages sell them with small variations.” Maddox supplied to Varia’s curious fingers as he gathered furs and straps, leather bags and a few wrapped edibles. Sabre had cornered the merchant, a green fellow who seemed much to comfortable in Sabre’s presence.

Sabre dropped a small bag of coin into the merchants hand, much too small for the supplies the others had gathered, before moving back to his party. “There is a small inn at the edge of town nearest the Graves. They offer dry beds and warm meals for little coin.” Sabre declared proudly to his companions, as if asking where the nearest inn rested was an impressive feat.

The inn was cozy. The woman who ran it was something of an herb witch. She gave them plenty of hearty stew filled with things good for the body. Her strapping young son attentively showed them to their rooms, two at the top. They were allies now, but it still felt prudent to split them up.

“I think I can handle them both if you decide fun is a little closer than you thought, Sabre.” Maddox teased his friend. The tavern boy seemed to have taken a shine to Sabre. The boy didn’t look like he would normally enjoy the company of men, but he didn’t look like he would be opposed to some exploration.

“Oh, I’m sure you could handle them. You intend to handle the little demon either way.” Sabre responded under his breath. Maddox was not thankful for the observation, but thankful that Sabre kept his voice low so the others wouldn’t hear.

“Fuck off.” Maddox muttered to Sabre, before he glanced back to Brom as he entered the room Maddox and Varia would be taking. Maddox had less confidence that he would indulge in Varia than Sabre did the tavern boy. He and Varia may feel a kinship and not be trying to actively kill each other, and they may feel a mutual attraction, but they had once been bitter enemies. Maddox was fairly certain it was more to do with a need to conquer Varia in some concrete way rather than actual romantic or sexual attraction.

_It’s nice to pretend like I could just fall into bed with Varia, as if there isn’t an ocean of blood between us._

Brom ignored their talk and laid out their supplies. “Were you able to sleep? How are your wounds? Not too painful? You should rest before it gets late.” He sounded like a worried mother. Varia had certainly been spending more time with Maddox opposed to Brom. Maddox wondered if he felt betrayed by Brom’s blood ties to Maddox.

“I’ll be fine.” Varia replied shortly, his glance shifting to Maddox as the captain gestured to the bed. “Get some rest while the sun is up.” Maddox instructed.

Varia sighed heavily, shooting a glare over his shoulder to the others as he made for the bed. He stripped off his furs and armor. Maddox could sympathize. It was certainly hotter in Er Rai than it was in Arcturus. He flopped onto the bed, pulling the thin sheet up and over his head, rolling his back to the group.

Brom and Sabre had gathered their things to retire to their room, and Sabre to the tavern down the stairs from them. “Get information while you’re out there having fun.” Maddox reminded his second, before he returned to the room. He removed his shoes and sat on the bed next to Varia, leaning against the headboard of the bed. He didn’t expect to get much sleep this close to the Graves, least of all sharing a bed with Varia. Still, he perched his sword on his shoulder and closed his eyes, hoping he could at least doze a bit before it got too dark for him to even pretend to sleep.

Maddox’s consciousness slipped in and out of awareness. Whispers danced on the edge of his hearing, calling and screaming at him.

_You are not welcome here…. Take me back, promise… tainted one… blood calls to blood… what have you done… never rest… we are coming… they are coming… never rest..._

The whispers and demons that usually stay quiet in a locked box in his mind roamed free, remind Maddox of things he would rather forget. He did not fidget or whimper in his slumber, but his hands tightened around his sword every so often, threatening to cut himself on the bound blade. Heat warmed his leg, becoming a solid fixture against him. The whispers eased and quieted as it did. The darkness still swirled in Maddox’s mind, but it was less frightening. The grip on his sword eased and one hand fell away from it to lay over the small hand perched on his thigh.

It was like old times in the Arcturian camp. In the deep dark, when Maddox was sure he would go insane or be killed, the warm hand of his friend would find its way into his and the dark would become a little brighter. Perhaps if he knew this time it wasn’t his friend he would be concerned that Varia had the same effect on him. However the reprieve was enough to draw Maddox into a deeper slumber instead, only slightly aware Varia was curled around him, their hands clasped together.

‘ _Mads, I want to go home.’ His friend said from his lap. Maddox squeezed his hand comfortingly. ‘I know. So do I. We’ll get out soon, okay? I’ll get us out, and we’ll go home.’ Maddox assured. He felt his friend shift, probably to look at him. Maddox kept his eyes averted, not wanting the other to see the doubt there. ‘Mads, promised me….’_

‘ _Of course.’_

‘ _No, listen. Promise me… promised you’ll take my body to E’letaesi… the Graves. No matter what, you have to take it there.’ Maddox frowned into the dark. ‘I’m not taking you to any grave. You can take yourself there. Stop talking crazy.’_

_The quiet whispers began again, still unintelligible._

‘ _Mads… promise… I’ll protect you… but you have to promise… blood calls to blood.’_

_Maddox gave an annoyed sigh and held his friends hand tightly. ‘Why, why are you even talking about? What are you whispering?’ Maddox asked, turning towards his friend. But his friend was gone, though there was still a hand in his._

‘ _Hey! Where did you go? Cithrel?!’_

_A breath near his ear whispered._

‘ _Blood calls to blood…_

_THEY ARE COMING!’_

Maddox startled awake with a sharp inhale, looking around wildly for the voice in his ear or the danger. Neither showed itself. It was just him and Varia, the latter sleeping on his legs. Maddox sought to calm his racing heart. It had been Varia’s hand and heat he had felt filtered into his dream. He felt the other shift, probably brought awake by Maddox’s sudden movement. Maddox quickly released the other’s hand before he noticed, hoping he hadn’t been squeezing it while he slept. The others were still gone. Sabre was probably with the tavern boy and Brom scouting and getting info in his own way. It was just after sunset and there was a festival outside the window in full swing.

_Everything is fine…. I’m fine…_

Yet Maddox still felt panicked, an impending sense of doom. _Blood calls to blood._ The thought popped into his head suddenly, and he looked towards his sword. It was whispering elvish, humming in it’s bindings.

_Fuck._

“We need to find the others and get into the Graves. Now!” Maddox snapped to a sleepy and confused Varia as the other sat up in the bed.

***

Four creatures a deep black-red of blood stepped from the trees on the side of the village away from the Graves. They walked like cats, yet as large as wolves. They lacked eyes, but giant nostrils inhaled scents. Spines like scaled armor flexed and relaxed as they stalked into the village, their long claws silent in the dirt. The one in the front paused, face to the air as it breathed in. It’s body shifted into a full red, the sign of a quarry found. The others shifted as well, their long teeth gnashing in excitement.

A man stepped out of his workshop, locking his store front, eager to head to the festivities. Movement caught his eye from behind him and he turned only to freeze, scared stiff. The beasts stalked past him, one turning it’s head his way and sniffing the air. The man couldn’t scream, he could barely breathe. Warmth spread down his good pants and the beast snuffled in disgust. Not its prey. If only he had stay so afraid. But a moment of bravery had him pulling the crossbow from it’s hanger inside the door. It bounced off of the scaled back, and this time the man found air to scream as the creature descended upon him.

***

\- Maddox -

Maddox had hardly begun to pack their things, allowing Varia another moment to wake when he heard the screams. The festival had been loud beyond the window, but these were not calls of joy or laughter. Screams of horror ripped through the town, and Maddox quickened his pace. He watched as Varia stood and pushed the curtains from the window.

He watched the color drop off of Varia’s face, the commander turning his head to catch Maddox’s eye. “Where are the other two?” He hissed. Varia moved forward, beginning to gather the things they needed as well.

“They’ll meet us in the Graves.” Maddox said as he pulled bags over his shoulders, ignoring the pain that shot through his arm. He was confident that Brom and Sabre would know that the Graves were the best chance of losing the beasts. Maddox was less concerned for Sabre, for he was not the target. But Brom was nimble and knew enough about the beasts to be able to get away. He and Varia were in worse straights than the other two. Both of them were targets and injured besides.

_Maybe they’re still at the far end of the village…_

No such luck. As he and Varia attempted to make their escape via the stairs, Varia was suddenly rushing up the stairs and forcing Maddox back as well. One of the creatures was inside, it’s head shoved deep into the bag of their clothes they had given the inn keeper to wash.

The creature reared it’s head towards them, a low growl leaving it as it sniffed at the air. Maddox nearly tripped up the stairs as Varia pushed him to go faster, and with good cause. The creature was suddenly at the bottom of the stairs, snapping fangs at them as it’s claws grasped onto the wooden stairs. It splintered, thankfully slowing the beast as it clamored to try and climb after them.

Varia slammed the door behind them, a heavy breath leaving him, before he moved to the window. Maddox stopped and grabbed some of the pillows from the bed, shoving the dresser against the door. “Go! I’ll distract it!” Maddox called to Varia as he saw him pause as he was halfway out onto the roof.

Maddox cut his hand, smearing it onto the pillows and blanket, tossing them into the small closet. He followed after Varia, slipping out onto the roof as the beast broke through the door and began to claw its way in. Once on the roof, Maddox glanced around at the mayhem. “This way!” he shouted to Varia as he moved around the rooftop until he found a way down that wouldn’t break them from the jump. The beast was still tearing through the room below, desperate to find the blood Maddox left behind, but it wouldn’t remain there for long.

Maddox jumped down with Varia, he heard a crash and turned his head up to see two beasts leering down at them from another rooftop. “Go!” Maddox yelled, pushing Varia towards the Graves. The beasts were quick, undaunted by the jump from the roof. The beasts hit the ground hard, immediately taking off after the two of them.

Maddox ran hard after Varia, stumbling briefly in the tall grass of the field that separated the Graves from the village. It was only about 150 paces away, not a far distance, but formidable when one was being chased by creatures on four legs. Maddox drew his sword from his back, whispering an elvish word. His sword responded by glowing in its bindings, before he stopped and swung at the beast. His sword screeched at the power, a visible energy slashing in a wide berth from the sword. It slammed into the beast closest to them, shoving it up and slamming it onto it’s back. Maddox turned, continuing to chase Varia.

To his right, he could see two others dashing to the trees, another beast behind the two. They were closer to the Graves than he and Varia, and in a moment they had vanished into the trees. The beast that had been chasing the two slid to a halt just beyond the forest, it’s head facing them. Maddox grit his teeth, his eyes turning to Varia’s back as the commander ran hard. The beast that had been after the others suddenly turned, launching itself in the direction of Varia and Maddox, and would almost certainly close in on them.

Maddox knew he couldn’t take two on from the rear, and another from in front of them. He turned suddenly, another wave of power leaving his sword as he swung it in the direction of the remaining two beasts that chased them. The two were sent flying back, much as the first.

The trees were growing closer with every step, and he saw Varia’s head turn towards the beast charging from the side. “Wait-!” Maddox had tried to call out, to warn him, but it was too late. Varia had lifted his hand, as if to use his own power, before he was suddenly down.

Varia slammed into the ground, his hands moving to grab at his hair, gasping for breath. “Varia!” Maddox called out to him. The Graves were not just protected by the imposing wall of trees that composed it. Being the grave of various kinds of elves, it was also protected by their magic. Magic that reacted violently with malignant spirit energy and blood magic. Maddox cursed as he rushed for Varia, needing to get to him before the beasts behind him recovered.

The other beast was on Varia in an instant, fangs sinking into his calf. Varia shouted in pain the beast began to drag him back. The shadows under Varia twitched, but they did not react how Varia wanted, or needed. The Graves had severed his ties with the darkness. Varia yelled out in frustration, before he twisted his body, swinging his fists down against the armored scales.

“Don’t use your power!” Maddox yelled to Varia. With the demon in him, his shadows may not even obey properly and definitely had more malignancy than Varia himself could produce. If he continued trying to use his power the forest would reject him completely and kill him well before he was able to cross the threshold.

Maddox reached them the moment the creature opened it’s mouth to bite into Varia’s chest. Instead of flesh, it met the side of Maddox’s bound sword. Even bound, it reacted, emitting a loud keening akin to a roar as it pushed the beast back. The beast whined as it was tossed, pawing at it’s now bloody mouth, shredded by the power of the unsheathed sword.

Maddox heard the other beasts closing in and swiveled sharply with the sword. One beast leapped and impaled itself on the tip, pushing Maddox down into the dirt next to Varia. The beast above them thrashed once, before stilling and then disintegrating into nothing. The other beast pulled up short, clearly not having expected a weapon that could harm, let alone kill it.

Maddox scrambled to his feet, pulling Varia with him and supporting him with his good arm, the one that held his sword. “Suppress your power, as much as you can. We need to get into the trees, but if it senses your power it might not let you.” Maddox whispered to the other, backing up with him towards the trees. His swords keening grew in pitch as they moved closer, the beasts up and stalking before them, seeking another way to attack before they reached safety.

_They’re going to pounce at once._

Maddox could see it as if he suddenly understood them. It was the only way to keep him and Varia from escaping, for Maddox’s sword couldn’t take them all, not how he was positioned. “Fuck. We’re fuck.” Maddox growled through gritted teeth. He wasn’t sure how far the trees were behind them, but he knew they were not close enough.

A whistle whizzed past his ear, an arrow suddenly piercing one of the beasts nostril, causing it to flail and thrash wildly from the pain. Several more arrows landed before them, releasing a noxious smelling smoke that caused the beasts to roar and hesitate. Maddox stared with wide eyes, surprised the elves would have saved them so easily.

“Come, we have to go!” Maddox said, turning and wrapping his arm around Varia’s waist to help him along towards the trees. The pair crashed through the foliage, Maddox’s back smashing back against a tree, Varia’s hand clenched tightly against his shoulder. The beasts had recovered by then. The largest of them stood before the trees, blood trickling from the arrow protruding from it’s nostril. The beasts heads were turned in the direction of Varia and Maddox, but they didn’t move any closer.

Maddox drew a heavy breath, his eyes shifting from the creatures and down to the deep gouges in Varia’s leg. Blood steadily ran down his leg and stained the forest floor. “Shit...” Maddox breathed.

_The elves won’t be happy about that._

At that thought, Maddox seemed to remember that the elves were near, his head snapping upwards and turning as he looked about the dark forest. Brom and Sabre moved from the bushes near them, Brom moving forward to crouch near Varia’s wound. Varia’s hand remained on Maddox’s arm for support, his breath leaving him in small pants.

Maddox looked down to Varia again, to assure himself he would be fine. As he lifted his head to spot their saviors, instead of trees he was met with an arrow pointed at him. They were surrounded before they knew it, weapons drawn and aimed at all of them.

Elves were taller than humans and of slender build. They appeared human enough, but the bridges of their noses were longer, sharper. Their eyes were larger, lifted upwards in the corners. Their faces were longer than a humans, slimmer. Their skin was deep shades of browns, ranging from dark to a light bronze, not unlike Sabre’s and other Nihalians.

The grip Varia had on Maddox’s arm tightened, his sword half drawn, but he was still. The arrow aimed at his face would stall anyone. The tallest elf spoke first, green eyes shimmering out beneath thick brown hair. A helm made of twisted roots and branches protruded straight up, signaling his status.

“Why have you brought him here, Maddox?” He spoke in elvish to Maddox. The elves eyes turned down to the blood leaking from Varia’s leg, watching as it spread across the soft moss of the forest floor. His nose scrunched in disgust, his gaze returning to Maddox.

Maddox’s hand closed around Varia’s to prevent him from drawing his sword any further than he had started to. “Put the weapons down, Daylor. You aren’t going to use them.” Maddox spoke in the common tongue, taking a step forward towards the elf. The elves around him raised their weapons and pulled the strings taunter on their bows. Daylor himself didn’t move.

Maddox cocked an eyebrow, gesturing around them. “Are you going to kill us here? Go ahead. I dare you. If you think I’m offensive now, wait until my tree grows.”

“Why are you here, Maddox? Why have you brought _him_ here?” Daylor repeated, his tone thin with disapproval. He continued to speak in elvish without regard towards Maddox's companions. Maddox held up his sword boldly and Daylor flinched. Maddox knew he would.

“I need a new scabbard. He needs to consult the Walkers. A few nights respite to tend to our wounds wouldn’t hurt either.” Maddox answered the question, the satisfaction of seeing Daylor uncomfortable had soothed his mean streak for a moment. While his words, or rather his sword, had silenced Daylor for the moment, it did not do so for the male at his side who raised his sword at them.

“We are not a half-way house for darkness spawn, nor a smithy for your wares. Tales from the wind, he’s more than earned his plight and your irresponsibility has earned you yours. Leave here, now.” The younger elf demanded.

Maddox’s eyes slowly slid to the male talking. He didn’t recognize him, but by the leaves woven in his helm, he was a distant relative of Daylor. If Daylor was captain, this man was probably a second, at worse a third in command. He held authority, but he was clearly young and unversed in the history Maddox had here.

_Perfect._

Daylor had likely realized what Maddox was going to do a second too late. As the unknown elf spoke, Maddox had moved his hand from Varia’s hand moved it to the bindings on his sword.

“Maddox, don--!”

Maddox pulled the bindings from his sword and exposed the blade. The elves closest to see it clearly shrunk back in horror. It was an elven blade, but not like the one pointed at the group. Maddox’s was thicker in blade and where theirs were silver and gold, his was white. The etching didn’t match, and were deeper than theirs. Maddox held the hilt to his lips, whispering to the blade.

“Maddox!” Again, Daylor was too slow in his reaction.

The blade brightened and keened, the sounds echoing in the woods. The elves covered their ears, and the trees around them seemed to shake and sway in distress.

“Shall we leave him like this then, Daylor?”

The keening had lessened to a soft and whining hum. More than a few elves in the company had tears in their eyes. Daylor did as well as he looked back to Maddox. “Or will you allow us to speak with the Walkers?” Maddox asked, continuing on in the common tongue for the sake of his party.

Daylor and Maddox stood nearly chest to chest, the humming sword between them. Maddox watched the elf with a smirk that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Finally, after a long moment, Daylor turned from Maddox.

“Come. They’ve been waiting for you.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The party finally reaches E'letaesi and is rewarded with rest. Varia and Maddox grow closer while the magic of the elves keeps Dor'Goth at bay.

\- Varia -

_Demons and blood beasts. This journey is bullshit._

Varia was not pleased with the turn of events, any of them. He nearly took solace in the thought he may finally see an elf as an elf should live. Arcturus eradicated the elven population many years ago. There weren’t many left, and those that were served as slaves or worse.

Elves, dragons, dwarves. He was so fascinated by them, but they had always seemed so distant from his life of conquest. Dragons hadn’t existed for a long time, and many thought the dwarves to be extinct as well. The elves may as well have been extinct. They rarely left their forests or their caves to treat with man. Reading was the bridge between his life of war and their life of solitude. Never had he thought he would meet with them, call upon true elves in their own home.

Yet here he was. A demon living within him, no access to his own power, hunks of flesh torn from his calf, leaning upon Brom as he hobbled along after their unwelcoming host.

Daylor led the way, the elves in his party spreading around them in a wide circle. The warrior in Varia told him to watch the elves for any indication they may turn on them. The man naive to the world outside of war camps was eager to gaze around the forest.

Varia’s wanderlust won the inner battle.

Despite his pain, perhaps fueled by a need to focus on something rather than it, Varia gazed around. It was dark, and could have been unbearably so if not for the small lanterns the elves carried. Woven with sticks and vines, he watched as several of their entourage gathered small orbs of light that fluttered nearby to fill the circular lanterns. Varia realized they were insects.

He did not need to worry where he was going, confident Brom would not steer him into a tree or into anything that may further wound him. A hand lifted from beneath his heavy cloak, gently cupping around a glow bug that fluttered near his face. It was a comforting yellow light, illuminating the blood and dirt coating his small hand.

Varia’s eyes lifted briefly as Maddox glanced back to him, meeting the others gaze. He looked calm, but Varia could sense the uncertainty. Would they be killed? He’d spoken so boldly to Daylor, Varia had not thought they were in any danger after that. Granted, he had no idea what Daylor, nor the other elf had said, only what Maddox did.

Maddox seemed like he would have stared back at Varia the entire walk, so Varia finally tore his gaze from the other. His gaze returned to the trees around them. He had not expected them to be so very tall. Tall as any fortress he had seen, and thick. He hadn’t spent much time in Er Rai, and Nihal was lacking in trees. Arcturus had trees, but not like these. The trees in Arcturus were tall, but they didn’t have leaves like these did. They were prickly, sharp, made to withstand the cold. They were darker, nearly black in some cases.

Not here. Not in all of Er Rai. He never saw so much green. He spent most of his military career in Nihal which was nothing more than a vast desert. Even in the darkness of the forest, it was so much more than he had dreamed of. The canopy above was just as impressive. He wished he could see the stars above, to see Varia the Wanderer, but the trees would not allow it.

Gradually the walk gave way to a smoother path and the elves tightened their circle around the party. The darkness of the forest broke before them, giving way to a soft glow. The space opened suddenly to the city of the elves. The trees there weren’t packed quite as tightly, but seemed much larger than the ones surrounding the city. Spiraled stairs were carved from their trunks, wrapping upwards and leading into tree houses in the canopies. The dirt of the forest floor had become smoothed pathways, lined on either side with the same circular lanterns glowing with the insects inside. Pools of water sparkled in the soothing glow, filled by small streams branching out from deep within the E’letaesi.

Before they could step foot beyond the edge of the elven civilization, Daylor stopped them all. Maddox glanced back towards the others, taking a step closer to Varia. “Varia and I can’t go beyond the borders. Brom, Sabre, go with Daylor.” He spoke, a hand outstretched to take Varia from where he leaned on Brom.

Varia immediately felt himself scowl at that. Was he not worthy enough to step foot into the elven oasis? He’d done no wrong to the elves here, yet he was already being cast out?

_No. Not because of who I am, but because of what lives inside of me._

He had to remind himself of the demon. Dor’Goth had been so quiet, so calm it was as if he wasn’t truly there. The elves took no sides in the war, even though Varia surly would have forced them to fight had Arcturus not betrayed him.

Brom visibly bristled at Maddox’s hand, as if considering handing Varia over to his brother was something he would not bode well.

_You did hand me over to him. To save me, isn’t that what you said? You’d allow him to use me just as Arcturus has._

Varia’s thoughts had become increasingly bitter towards his second in command. Brom was by far the only friend he ever had. To think that after all these years, after all he had given to keep Brom at his side...

_How many times had you stalled my blade from ending him? If you hadn’t meddled, Arcturus wouldn’t have cast me aside. It’s your fault. You did this to me, you forced Arcturus to abandon me. You took everything from me._

He felt the anger rising in his chest, swallowing hard to force it down. He had yet to confront Brom about this slight, and he wasn’t sure if he even should. He wasn’t known for being especially stable, nor forgiving. He’d executed others for far less slights, yet none had been his friends. Perhaps that was the worst feeling of all. The only companionship he had, the only other person alive who knew of the whispers and fears he faced, his battle fatigue, his crumbling mind…

_You betrayed me._

“Your… companions will be cared for.” Daylor said to Sabre and Brom, more to the former than the latter. His common tongue was heavily accented. “Healers will be sent and I will tell Elder Zeale of your arrival.”

Varia was thankful Daylor and Maddox began speaking once more. He was yanked from his thoughts, though he could feel Brom’s eyes on him. Brom could always tell when Varia was slipping.

_You no longer have a sway on my thoughts._

Varia took Maddox’s hand while the other had his gazed turned to Daylor, steadying himself as he stepped away from Brom. He didn’t need to turn to know the look Brom likely wore as Varia distanced himself.

Maddox turned his eyes back to Varia’s face as he stepped to him, bracing himself against the pain in his leg. Without a word about it, Maddox’s arm shifted down, wrapping around Varia’s waist to steady him more securely to himself. Varia was grateful for the assistance, not that he turned his eyes upwards to indicate that.

“Is Vian… Elder Viansola no longer of this world?” Maddox spoke, his tone more polite than it had been before. His eyes perhaps lingered on Varia for a moment too long even after he spoke, before he finally looked back to the elf.

Daylor couldn’t have rolled his eyes harder as Maddox spoke. “Elder Zeale has taken over functions--”

“But she hates me more than you do and will do Varia harm, you know this. Tell her Den-Cithrel has returned. I’m sure she would like to see him.”

_Was that concern? I can take care of myself._

But he couldn’t, not here. He was wounded, and the Graves dulled his powers into nothing. Here, he was still an exceptional swords man, but with his wound he was useless. He would have to rely on Maddox to keep him alive. He would rather die, truthfully, at least he thought so.

Daylor’s hands tightened into fists as his eyes traveled again to Maddox’s sword. A flash of conflict flashed across his features. “I will call for Elder Viansola as well. Water for washing will be made available to you.” Daylor spoke, no small amount of venom in his tone. He turned to Brom and Sabre once more. “Your companions will be staying there.” Ask he spoke, he gestured to a tree outside of the city. It wasn’t as tall as the other’s, and besides the winding stairs there was a life that led to the top.

“Free passage to see them is not permitted until after the Elders have made their determination. Their taint cannot be allowed to disquiet the others.”

_Tainted. I suppose I am tainted._

Despite Varia agreeing with Daylor’s words, his gaze was feral and harsh, a dangerous intent swirling in the icy wasteland. His body was absolutely rigid with anticipation. Maddox must have sensed Varia’s animosity. A soft squeeze to his side reminded him that he was in no position to attack anyone in this state. He was still leaning on Maddox for support, after all.

Two of the elven guards placed themselves on either side of Maddox and Varia, urging the pair towards the lift that would take them to their temporary home, removed from the others. Varia could feel Brom’s eyes on his back as he was lead away, but he refused to turn back.

The lift began rising, a lever cranked by two elves below. It hoisted them towards the canopy of trees, towards a small porch that led into the home. “We should be fine for a while. Just don’t attempt to use your powers. They’re going to strip you of your weapons, but we’ll get them back before we leave.” Maddox spoke to him.

_**If** we leave, you mean._

Varia remained quiet as they entered the small home. It was… cozy. Bookshelves lined the walls, adorned with not only books, but various bowls and trinkets. The windows weren’t covered with glass, instead allowing the fresh air to flow freely into the home, cooling it. There were several small tables, chairs set up around each of them. The ceiling opened up, revealing the star dotted sky above, much to Varia’s pleasure. There was only one bed, but it was much larger than the one the two had shared in the village. Varia was never fond of heights, and though his curiosity replaced his animosity, he refused to go towards the windows.

“How is your wound?” Maddox snapped him from his thoughts, drawing Varia’s eyes down to the floor. He had left small, bloody footprints from the doorway. The bleeding had been slowed thanks to Brom, but walking around on it had certainly not helped his condition. He sucked his teeth in annoyance, allowing Maddox to lead him to the bed.

He flopped down, laying rather than sitting. His hands ran over his face, a growl leaving his throat. “If the elves attack us, I’ll be useless.” He muttered, evading the question regarding his well-being. Maddox slid one of the small chairs closer to the bed, allowing Varia to prop his leg up onto it in a sad attempt to elevate his wound.

Maddox stood near where Varia lay, quiet long enough for Varia to lower his hands from where they had covered his own eyes. He squinted at him, unable to read the expression on the Captains face as he was studied.

A soft tap to the door drew Maddox away before he could speak what he was thinking. Varia found he didn’t mind, not wanting to know what had gone through his mind just then.

The healers arrived in short order. They were elvish, but they didn’t appear the same as the others Varia had seen. Varia lifted himself onto his elbows, watching the women closely. They were pale, as if the sun never reached them. Their eyes were bound in cloth, and their hair was stark white. They where ghostly, much different than the other elves. Their pale flesh was marked with blue whorls and symbols.

Maddox saw the curiosity on his face, slowly sitting near Varia. “They are called Walkers Between the Worlds. These women bury the dead in the forest and tend to the trees. It is confirmation of our tainted status, and the lengths that Daylor will go to keep up at arms length.” Maddox answered Varia’s unspoken questions.

_So we will be treated as if we are already dead?_

Varia frowned bitterly as he watched the women. They stopped just inside the door, their mouths opening in what he could only describe as a look of shock and perhaps mild horror. They spoke quickly in elvish, turned back towards the door to leave.

Maddox rose and lay his sword on the small table near the bed, moving towards the women and taking their hands. His own voice was soft, comforting as he spoke to them in elvish. He lifted the womans hands and gently pressed them to his eyes. The woman stood for a moment like that before her body gradually relaxed. The woman spoke again, before dropping her hands from Maddox’s eyes, moving from where he stood to begin preparing their supplies.

“What did you say to them?” Varia asked as he watched. The women produced large leaves from within their robes, unrolling them to reveal pastes and small fruits.

“I told them that you mean no harm to them, that none of us do.” Maddox whispered as he sat beside Varia once more.

The women advanced, small hands reaching for Varia’s face much as they had done Maddox. Varia felt the wild surge of adrenaline spike through his blood as they advanced on him, his body unintentionally leaning back from their small hands. Maddox slid his hand to grasp Varia’s, squeezing it reassuringly.

“They are understanding you. The Walkers see the soul through the eyes. They are making sure you are not other than we say you are.” Maddox whispered. Varia allowed them to press their hands against his eyes.

The women each took a turn gazing into his soul, the others lathering the paste onto his wound, wrapping it with leaves, and then again with cloth. Despite the unfamiliar hands on his body, Varia already began to feel his strength return. The pain immediately lessened. The walkers around him chanted softly, eerily.

_If these women sense Dor’Goth, they are not alarmed by him._

Varia watched the women still as they tended to Maddox. Despite how much of an intolerant baby he had appeared to be by pain, he sat still for the women. They had given him some tonic prior to setting and binding his arm once more, perhaps a sedative.

The women moved quickly and had soon begun filing from their home. The woman, perhaps the leader, paused before she did. She knelt before Varia, taking his hand within her own. Her head turned to Maddox briefly, before she began speaking.

“She says that there is a great darkness in you, but also much light. She says to not be afraid and see every shadow in time.” Maddox translated, though he seemed tired, stumbling over his own words. “Mmm… that’s hard to translate… she says you… and it are not the same. It should become you, not you it. I think she’s saying not to become a demon.” Varia felt his scowl darken at her words, but he did not respond.

_Too late for that._

The woman turned to Maddox once she finished speaking to Varia, speaking something to him earned her a snort and a gesture towards his sword.

“Such is your burden.” She said in the common tongue. Maddox scowled at the woman, but if she felt it she did not indicate so. She bowed to the two, before taking her leave. Varia tilted his head to Maddox, but did not ask.

The women had left fruits and vegetables rolled in leaves for them to consume. They had also placed a bowl of water near Maddox, swimming with herbs. “We’ll probably be here for a week at least. Elders don’t come quickly and I expect it’ll take a lot of discussion to figure out what to do with us. It should be safe for you to sleep while it’s night here.” Maddox spoke to Varia softly, taking the cloth provided with the bowl of water to meticulously wipe his sword.

Varia sighed as Maddox spoke, his shoulders slumping in exhaustion as the women left. He turned his head to watch Maddox work at his sword, his eyes following his hand as it scraped down the blade. “I’m not tired.”

Oh, but he was. However spending another night in a bed with Maddox could prove problematic. He had felt the warm grip on his hand as his slept. It was hard to ignore. It was so quiet then, so peaceful. How Maddox had managed bring such peace to him was not a problem he wished to visit so soon. Beyond that, the tightness in his chest he felt as his eyes rose to Maddox’s face was something he absolutely did not understand.

A smile turned up the corners of Maddox’s lips at Varia’s words. “Having worked with my brother for so long, I would think the Demon of Arcturus would be better at lying.” Varia huffed at the observation, though he still didn’t close his eyes. They moved back to the mans hands, watching as he dipped the wrappings of his sword into the water provided.

“You don’t like people, do you?” Maddox suddenly asked him, drawing Varia’s gaze once more to Maddox’s face. “I suppose Arcturus doesn’t value inter-human relationships of the non-military kind. Even then.” Maddox spoke, before his eyes finally turned to catch Varia’s.

Varia held Maddox’s gaze for a long moment, perhaps a moment too long, before he huffed through his nose. He lay back on the bed, turning his eyes up instead, focusing on the stars above them. Varia the Wanderer could not be seen from where he lay. Pity.

“Even military bonds are limited. Brom and I were the exception, since he curbed my worst impulses. There are other’s directly under me that I would consider myself fond of… but no. I don’t like people much.” Varia responded, allowing Maddox to bait him into speaking of himself once again.

He understood the abuse he had suffered as a child. He knew what it was, what the breeder program did. Up until recently, though, he had thought the effects on him much less than others. He became exactly what Arcturus had in mind, so how could it have been so bad?

_Would I view people the same had I been raised in a proper home?_

Varia was not fully prepared to deal with the reality of his childhood from the perspective he now found he had. He normally allowed Maddox to engage him, and then would offer more of himself than Maddox had asked. He felt slighted by that. Maddox hadn’t given him as much as he had given Maddox in their recent conversations.

“Why do the elves dislike you so much? You’re an infuriating shithead, but you clearly have a history here. A vast history. From my understanding, the elves don’t bother much with man.” He asked, turning his head briefly to watch Maddox.

Maddox had began to hum softly as he wrapped his sword. For a long moment it seemed as if he wouldn’t answer. But eventually he began to speak, his voice much softer than it usually was, tempered with grief and memory. The tone alone was enough to draw Varia’s full attention.

“In the camps I met an elf. I don’t know where he came from or how he had come to be there on the ice, but he was. We were paired together as bond partners. It was common for them to do so to keep us from going insane. I had never met an elf before, so I took immediate interested. We looked after each other. He could see in the dark so he especially watched out for me during the night trials. I was never afraid of the dark before the camps. But the places they sent us… to hone our skills or to find what lurked beneath the mountains of ice… there were things to be afraid of.”

Maddox paused as he spoke, his eyes distant as he gazed up from his sword. Varia felt a pang of guilt in his chest. He understood the darkness under the mountains in Arcturus, but he had never been alone. He held no fear of the dark, not with what he could do.

“My friends name was Cithrel. One night, something attached itself to him.” Maddox finished binding his sword finally. He stood, throwing the water over the blood Varia had tracked inside, tossing a cloth over top and scrubbing them away with his foot.

“It wasn’t noticeable at first, but gradually the friend I knew disappeared and… something else took his place. I had to kill him. He made me kill him. A moment of clarity of what he had become maybe… but he took advantage of my fear and ended his life.”

Maddox grew quiet as he finished cleaning the blood from the floor. He stepped back from the water to allow it to dry on it’s own as he placed the bowl and utensils next to the door.

“Before he died, before he turned… he had asked me to bring him here, to E’letaesi. The greatest fear of a wood elf is that they will die away from here or that their body will not be interred here. Here their body and soul can grow into a tree, can evolve and eventually be reborn again. If they die away from the graves, their soul can wander, could become something else. So I strapped his body to my back and I brought him here.”

Varia found himself utterly consumed with the story. There was a sadness about Maddox, one that was hard to see, but it was there. Varia knew the sadness well. He hadn’t expected Maddox to speak so openly to him. He certainly hadn’t expected such a tale.

“Turns out that Cithrel was important. Some prince or dignitary something or another. Was supposed to help bridge two clans. Daylor’s clan, Zeale’s clan, with another. But now he was dead, and now he was tainted.” Maddox came back to the bed, sitting down next to Varia once more. The sword was laid over his lap, and Maddox’s hands gently stroked the bindings covering the blade.

“They hate me because I brought back their peace treaty dead as a doornail. They hate me because I’m the one who killed him. They hate me because when he died he was in such a state that he could not be saved. They hate me because I suggested otherwise. When they die like that, with something… attached, they can’t be buried in the Graves. They normally burn the body, lots of prayers and rites, hope the spirit finds it’s way back. But he was my friend, my bond brother… so I found another way. I convinced them to do a blood ritual, to make a sword of his bones.”

An odd feeling washed over Varia as he gazed down at the sword in Maddox’s lap. A sudden and overwhelming urge to comfort Maddox. His eyes shifted back to the other’s face. He had never comforted anyone. There had been times he had felt an urge to comfort Brom or other soldiers of his, but a small touch of the shoulder, an approving nod. That was all he could muster. To them, it was profound. But to embrace someone?

It was such a bizarre urge. He could not recall a time he had an urge to embrace someone. He managed to swallow the urge somehow. Maddox grew quiet, trailing off into silence. Varia had the thought he was handsome then, when he was so openly sharing with him like that.

_How absurd. I’ve always known he was attractive. Why think of that now?_

Varia finally allowed himself to lay back against the bed. His hands raised once again to run over his face, desperate to erase the flush that had taken him. He couldn’t think of what to say, how to comfort anyone, especially Maddox. It wasn’t easy at all.

_No. It’s too easy. He’s like me._

“I… understand you, Maddox. I understand you and your journey. I can’t speak on Cithrel, but I understand.” It was a poor attempt at comfort, but an attempt nonetheless.

He had been feeling too much kinship towards Maddox as of late, and he knew Maddox felt the same. It likely didn’t help that Varia’s plight was similar to Cithrel’s. Varia hadn’t wanted to see the expression on Maddox’s face, concerned with what it may say, but he peeked from under his own fingers.

Maddox looked lost in thought, his gaze soft yet distant. He wondered what he was thinking of. Maddox’s head tilted up, briefly flicking his eyes across the stars above them, before he rubbed his own face.

“It would be better for you if you didn’t… but I find that I’m not upset that you do...” Maddox whispered. His tone was much different. It spoke so much more than had actually been said. He had wanted Varia to understand. Why him, Varia wasn’t sure.

Maddox leaned his sword against the bedpost, before he shifted onto the bed to lay properly next to Varia now, his hair spreading out under his head, mixing with Varia’s. He closed his eyes and so did Varia.

They lay there like that for a time, much closer than they had been while they were awake the last time. But it was comforting. Varia found himself focused on the other’s steady breathing.

“If you succumb to the demon in you, I promise to kill you. I’ll carry your body back to the ice. If the ice is like the trees, I’ll make a sword of your bones as well. Enemy or not. If nothing else, I can promise that.” Maddox broke the silence. His voice grew softer with each word as he slipped into a slumber.

Varia opened his eyes as Maddox spoke, watching as he fell into a sleep. How profound that was. It had soothed the anger in Varia’s gut in almost an instant. He forgot his anger at Maddox, at Brom, at Arcturus. His lips flickered up in a small smile.

_Of course you would say something like that and promptly fall asleep._

Varia didn’t move for a long moment, watching the steady rise and fall of Maddox’s chest. Without thinking of how wrong it was, how terrible it could seem when he would stop to think of it, Varia scooted his body closer, curling around Maddox.

His chin rested on Maddox’s shoulder against the bed, his eyes focused on his face. The light from the stars and moon above brightened it. He seemed so calm, so at peace. That’s what this was all about, wasn’t it? Peace.

“Thank you.” Varia whispered as his own exhaustion finally won. He slipped into a dark sleep.

***

Perhaps it hadn’t been the wisest choice to allow himself to sleep. He felt a calmness from Maddox at his side, but he should have been cautious. Even curled around the captains warmth, the nightmares returned.

It was almost a relief. The sounds and visions that visited him through the darkness of his mind were always there. He had begun to feel lonely without them.

_You don’t belong here with them._

_You need to get away from them_

_**Get out.** _

_We have to leave._

_**Get out now.** _

_They’ll only use you._

_**Get out. Get out.** _

_They’re the same as Arcturus._

_**Get out. Get out. Get out.** _

_He is going to kill you._

_**LET.** _

_**ME.** _

_**OUT!!** _

Varia sat straight up in the bed, a shout leaving him. He was drenched in a cold sweat, his breath labored. His hand fumbled aimlessly at his side, desperate for a weapon, any weapon. Maddox shifted next to him, likely woken by his sudden movements.

_It’s dark. Where am I? Where is he? I know he’s here!_

Varia’s eyes began to adjust, the light of the moon overhead now illuminating the room in silver and blue. A shaky breath left him. If Maddox spoke to him, he heard nothing. His eyes had come back, but his mind hadn’t, not yet. He became aware of where he was, but he didn’t feel safe. From the corner of the room, the shadows shifted. Crimson glared out at him from the darkness.

Varia snapped too within a moment. He closed his eyes tightly, pressing his palms against his temples, before he opened his eyes.

_Nothing. Nothing but a pile of old books._

A heavy breath left his lips, his gaze shifting down as a slight pain flashed through his palm. His small fist was clenched so tightly a trickle of blood had begun welling along his knuckle. It seemed to take all of the strength he had to unfurl his fist.

He could _**feel**_ Dor’Goth there. Somewhere deep inside of him. He was sleeping still, but he had begun to stir. He was pushing at the corner of his subconscious.

His breathing finally seemed to slow, and he turned his eyes to Maddox. The captain was looking at him expectantly, though he didn’t appear alarmed. Varia couldn’t manage to twist his face in his usual scowl then.

“I don’t know how much longer I can do this...” his voice was small and weak. It sounded pathetic. He had barely begun to live with the demon, it wasn’t as if he had been fighting long.

He never felt a fear like he did now. He was desperate to leave the Graves, desperate to run and hide. He hadn’t forgotten about Dor’Goth, how could he? But he had been so quiet. It was still quiet. It was only a matter of time.

“What if… What if they can’t help? Dor’Goth will take me, a-and… and the ice isn’t the graves...” Varia whispered. He was so aware of how pathetic he must have sounded. He was the Demon of Arcturus. How could he be felled so easily?

The moonlight slid across his eyes as he turned his head to look at Maddox. He knew Maddox would be able to read him like a book in that moment. He knew he would see his fear.

_I always imagined if I died it would be on his sword. Nothing has changed._

Maddox breathed a sigh of relief. Varia realized Maddox had a grip on his arm only after he loosened it. Maddox turned to grab his sword, a soft whisper came from it as he touched it, but quieted almost immediately. Maddox lay the sword before him, his voice soft.

“They can help you. Cithrel battled his demon for months and he only knew basic spells and chants. You can’t give up, Varia. Brom would be devastated and I would be disappointed to have called you my rival.” As he spoke he lifted the hilt of his sword, whispering to it. The sword gave a soft glow through the bindings and Maddox swung the bulk of the blade to hover over Varia.

The whispers began again, soft and quick as the light over the blade shifted and twisted. It was oddly comforting, and Varia did not know why.

“The demon seems to be unsettled, but not stronger than before. If it were growing stronger, this blade would be brighter, the whispers louder. You don’t have to worry.” Maddox assured him as the blade dimmed.

Maddox set his sword against the bed again, before standing, holding his hand to Varia. “Come. I will teach you something.”

Varia took his hand, the pain in his calf dulled. It was enough to make him uncomfortable, but not enough to dissuade him from moving. Maddox pulled Varia to the center of the floor where the moonlight was brightest. He fished through his pockets briefly, before pushing a small bag of herbs into Varia’s other hand.

“These are purification herbs that ward off evil and keep demons at bay. If you feel yourself unsettled, like he’s taking over or slipping into your thoughts, you can chew these. It won’t taste nice, but it should give you clarity.” Maddox whispered. He lifted their hands together, tracing symbols in the air as he whispered.

“Repeat what I say.” Maddox spoke, allowing Varia lead their hands in tracing the symbol in the air. “This is a simple spell I learned to ward off the dark.”

Varia whispered the words along with Maddox, his hand moving with his, tracing patterns in the air.

It was comforting, in a way. But the thought of Dor’Goth overpowering him caused his stress to build. If Arcturus learned of him living with a demon within him they would welcome him home. He knew that, and he knew why they would. They wouldn’t try to save him, they wouldn’t try to extract the demon.

_They will use me until nothing is left._

Worse still, if Arcturus welcomed him back, demon or no, Varia wasn’t sure if he was strong enough to resist them. Even now. Even as he was left with his enemy, allowing him to comfort him. Maddox assured him of his strength and place.

_Arcturus cast me aside. Don’t forget that._

Varia’s whispers ceased and his hand closed around Maddox’s.

“I could ward off the dark for you.” He whispered suddenly.

He wasn’t sure where that had come from. He felt like a child standing with Maddox offering to protect him from the dark. He wasn’t even positive he could ward off much of anything at the moment. But it didn’t matter to Maddox. Maddox had a purpose for him, one he hadn’t abandoned the moment Varia was taken by Dor’Goth.

_He needs me._

What he needed him for, he wasn’t completely sure still. Worse still he felt as if he may not be able to do what Maddox needed him to do. He could kill men, just point him in a direction, but Maddox had much higher hope for him. If he couldn’t do what Maddox needed him to do, the least he could do is chase the dark away.

More curious than his own offer to protect Maddox was how Maddox seemed to be struck by that. His eyes snapped to Varia and his breath hitched in his throat. Varia’s eyes remained on Maddox, watching the shift in him. The shift in his emotions.

His gaze softened, and Varia knew Maddox believed him. Varia understood, he would protect Maddox. Varia understood that the terror of the darkness for Maddox, was the terror of Dor’Goth for himself.

Maddox’s eyes dropped from where they had locked with Varia’s and down to their still clasped hands. A breath left him, shaky. “I’d rather that you were the dark. You I can fight. You I can kill. I made the mistake of allowing someone else to become my shield before. With you, of all people, I cannot make that mistake again.”

_Cithrel._

But Varia was not Cithrel. Varia attracted Dor’Goth because he i **s** darkness. He **can** chase the dark away.

Yet if Varia lost the fight against the dark, like Cithrel, the darkness that would result would be impossible for Maddox to face and defeat. Varia knew that.

He also knew the offer did not mean nothing to Maddox. He felt it too, the feeling of kinship and connection to his once-enemy. Varia knew Maddox would take his promise in the same vein that he took Maddox’s promise to return Varia to the ice upon his death.

Yet, despite all of the feelings that sparked between the two of them, despite the obvious attraction, Varia was not prepared for Maddox to lean down as he did.

Was it that feeling of kinship that moved Maddox’s lips lower? Was it the moment of openness between them that moved him? Whatever it was, it was foolish.

But foolishness only needed a moment, and Maddox took it.

It was rare that Varia was so caught off guard that he couldn’t react with anger. Feeling lips softly brush against his own, pressing downwards set a fire in him, yet stalled his mind. He was stunned into submission.

Maddox’s lips lingered on his own, long enough to damage the fragile barrier keeping them from this before, yet too short. Maddox drew back from Varia, but remained close to him. Emerald eyes met with Varia’s wintery ones.

“Thank you.” Maddox whispered. Varia nearly laughed. The words sounded so foreign for Maddox.

Maddox released Varia’s hands suddenly, sighing heavily and running his hands through his hair. “I’m losing my mind.” He muttered as he dragged his eyes from Varia’s, turning from him to sit on the bed.

Varia didn’t speak a word. He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to form a coherent sentence at that point. He stood still, allowing Maddox to move from him. His hand was still lifted, as if Maddox had hold if it still.

His heart slammed into his chest so hard he thought perhaps he was dying.

_It isn’t as if you’ve never been kissed before!_

Varia shook his head at his thoughts, before he turned his head to look at Maddox as the man sat on the bed.

_Why had HE done that?_

He didn’t have an answer. Of course he understood the kinship, the two had certainly grown closer than before over the short journey, and he had certainly found him attractive, and he understood him, but…

_Fuck._

He DID understand it. He understood it completely. He had continued to try and push it away, to return Maddox’s glances with scowls. He pushed it to the back of his own mind, but he knew it. His attraction had grown into fondness. He had begun to crave his presence at his side.

_But why had he done it?_

Varia turned finally, his gaze falling onto Maddox as he stepped closer to him. He feared this. He feared this almost more than he feared Dor’Goth. Sex was one thing. It meant nothing. It was primal, a human urge that even the Demon of Arcturus had. He could blame this on that…

_No. That isn’t true._

It wasn’t as if he would ever be able to admit it out loud, much less to himself. He hardly recognized such feelings, such urges. This was more than a primal need.

That was why his legs moved forward.

_Maybe it’s the elves and their magic._

Maybe. Hopefully it was anything but having a true fondness for the captain.

_It doesn’t matter._

If needed, he would concern himself with it later.

He strode across the room with a confidence he didn’t feel. He stood before Maddox, his eyes glinting in the darkness as he watched the other. Maddox lifted his head and Varia felt that same openness that he so often felt between them. It hadn’t been a mistake.

“You’ve tried to kill me many times, but you can’t, can you.” Varia whispered. His words were taunting, but his tone was strange.

A quiet murmur, almost a purr.

Humor.

Many strange things had begun happening that night, and they would not stop there.

Small hands lifted to brush against Maddox’s cheeks. His touch was so soft and gentle, even timid. It was a stark contrast from the violent and aggressive nature he so often acted on. He was amused by the surprise in Maddox’s eyes.

_You surprised me too. This is payback, Maddox._

Varias head dipped down and his lips brushed against Maddox’s softly. He felt Maddox’s hands lift to brush up his hips to grip at his sides, encouraging his lips. At his urging, he pressed their lips together, pleased his motions were returned.

_This is right. This was always meant to be._

Varia was truly lost now, but he was no longer frightened

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I am greatly encouraged by the 100+ hits I have (though I have only a few kudos and only one comment) so I wanted to post a quick update. This chapter is shorter than my usual, but I felt like saving the smut that's coming for next chapter.
> 
> As always I encourage comments and feedback! Enjoy!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maddox and Varia lay together. Maddox evaluates his new found feelings and is determined to show Varia all the things he had been missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is just a few thousand words of smut. It's mild smut (imo), but instead of dragging on after wards and making a proper chapter, I opted to dedicated this entire chapter to the coupling.
> 
> As usual, any kudos or comments are highly encouraged and much appreciated! Enjoy!

\- Maddox -

Though Sabre had joked about it, called attention to it, Maddox was not foolish enough to take that as meaning Sabre would approve of any sort of physical consorting with Varia. Varia, as far as Sabre was concerned, and really as far as Maddox should be concerned, was still the enemy. So no matter the kinship he felt, no matter how much Varia understood him or pretended to, no matter how attracted he was to Varia and their continued rivalry, he could not, under any circumstance except to fuck him over, sleep with Varia.

Yet he had kissed Varia with no deviant thought behind the action, but in fact pure sincerity, another thing he should not possess in this situation. But he wasn’t the only one doing things he shouldn’t for reasons unknown and foreign to him. For Varia was in front of him, standing between his legs like a lover might, looking down on him with that cocky amusement that whore’s had only feigned before.

Gods how Maddox wished at that moment that Varia were not his enemy and that things were wholly different. For the look Varia wore, the way he stood, the tone of his voice… it was out of Maddox’s fantasies. But the quip Maddox had ready on his tongue was halted by the gentle touch that spoke of a fragile moment. It was pushed back and swallowed by the lips that covered his own briefly, then more completely. 

His hands came around Varia’s waist, encouraging him closer as Maddox’s mouth pressed and opened to the other’s. His hands traveled up under Varia’s clothing, mindful of the wounds and bruises, but undaunted by them. 

_He has such a gentle touch. Such a difference from his usual violence_.

Varia tasted like winter and spruce. He reminded Maddox of the winters in the mountains, harsh but beautiful and strong. Feeling that mountain shudder beneath his hands made Maddox feel powerful. Varia pushed forward to straddle him. Maddox smiled against Varia’s lips. He may have been happy to let Varia stay there like that and to please him in such a position. But a small sound of pain left Varia as he broke the kiss, reminding Maddox that Varia was hurt far more extensively than himself. It would be selfish to allow the other to take pleasure in this way.

 _Varia won’t see it that way. He won’t be as tall as me in any other position_.

Maddox gazed up at Varia as he half disrobed, enticed with Varia’s taunt muscles and milky skin. He brought his lips back to Varia’s and positioned his good arm around Varia’s hips. With a fluid motion he rolled them onto Varia’s good side so that the other was on his back beneath him. He could see the anger shift in Varia’s eyes at being put in an inferior position. Maddox was undaunted, beginning to kiss down Varia’s body, across the minefield of scars, across his toned abdomen and down to his waistband.

“If you intent to win a war against me, you must learn to lose a battle or two, Commander.” Maddox teased as his hands pushed down Varia’s pants, his lips covering every inch of exposed flesh. 

Despite what he may seem, Maddox was a doting lover in bed most of the time. He could be selfish and simply take his pleasure, but he also enjoyed working his partner into a frenzy and giving them pleasure they did not think to receive from him. 

Maddox divested Varia of his pants, letting the fabric drop to the side of the bed. Maddox’s mouth breathed warm air over the other’s cock before his tongue traced down it’s spine. This was something he could not do with Varia above him and was his consolation for the other consenting to be beneath. Maddox kissed the inside of Varia’s thighs, enamored with the pale and soft flesh, so at odds with the personality of the man it belonged to. Sweet kisses tempered with small soft bites as Maddox’s eyes traveled upwards. His lips moved inwards, curious whether Varia would accept this offering or not.

Maddox hardly needed to ask. Varia’s cock was hard, his body shuddering in anticipation. Varia’s hands gripped Maddox’s shirt. Maddox took the invitation and lowered his lips. A moan left Varia’s lips. It was soft and sensual, beautiful. Maddox took Varia into his mouth fully, savoring the taste and feel on his tongue. He was so focused on feeling the length of Varia with his mouth he didn’t think twice when Varia pulled at his shirt, insisting that it be removed.

Varia knew he was Arcturian, so perhaps it didn’t matter. But if he had thought about it he probably would still have tried to avoid being seen naked, lest Varia see the tattoo. The tattoo was not random, not given to him by the people at the camp. That one had been covered by the large one, the older one that no one used anymore. It was a sign of his rebellion, of the loyalty he had to Arcturus, if he had any. His allegiances, to Arcturus, to Er Rai, to himself and his family was something that everyone outside of Maddox thought they had clear, but which he kept close to himself. But he wasn’t thinking about what his back tattoos may or may not reveal or what Varia might glean from them. 

He was focused on eliciting more moans of pleasure from the other. His head bobbed up and down on Varia’s cock, his hands massaging the other’s thighs and stroking his legs. He wouldn’t have thought Varia could make such sounds. They were sounds of a man repressed, of one who needed release as much as he needed violence and war.

Maddox’s face dipped deeper, below the others balls and between his cheeks. Asking the elves for lubrication for illicit acts with his enemy was not on the list of things Maddox planned to do and giving pain during acts of pleasure was not good form. Besides, Maddox was enjoying causing Varia pleasure he had never had, winning small battles that the other hadn’t anticipated fighting. His tongue dipped inside the others, his hands stroking Varia’s erection. Maddox enjoyed the feel of the other’s hands over his body, reaching, clawing for him.

Maddox never before had heard such a need directed at him and his actions. His face burned from the sounds coming from Varia. He wanted to feel him, to taste him. He kissed Varia’s hole, licking, lapping at it, before he pressed his tongue inside of Varia again. Varia’s moans only served to fuel Maddox’s actions. 

Maddox didn’t expect Varia to speak, not then. It didn’t seem like he would be capable of speaking. “M-Maddox...” Varia whispered, drawing his attention. Varia gazed down at him, icy eyes shimmering through long and dark lashes. Maddox was so enamored with Varia then his actions paused. Hearing Varia concede to his pleasure, to call out for him made him harden almost instantly. Maddox lifted his face from between the other’s legs, smirking at the flush that had colored the other’s pale body. He kissed Varia’s lips deeply as he kicked off his own pants. 

He wasn’t sure why the warmth of the other’s body against his surprised him. Perhaps it was because he kept thinking the pale skin should be cool to the touch, like marble in the snow. But Varia was warm and soft, his body arching into Maddox’s just so. 

He entered slowly, as much to give Varia time to adjust as to protect himself should the other suddenly decide this was not what he wanted. He kissed Varia’s neck as his cock parted the other’s cheeks and pressed against his entrance. The sudden give of resistance and entrance into moist warmth caused Maddox to gasp into the other’s skin. Varia was so tight, so eager for him. It had not been very long since Maddox had slept with another, but it might have been his first time for how his body struggled to contain itself. But he pushed on, inch by inch, until he was fully sheathed inside of his enemy. 

Varia looked different like this. With his legs tangled with Maddox’s, Maddox’s cock inside of him and both of their bodies flushed with lust and pleasure. He was beautiful, but Maddox felt that if he were to comment on it Varia would not appreciate it. Varia’s eyes opened and met his own once again, and the look Maddox gave Varia likely said more than he intended. Varia was so beautiful and Maddox wanted more of him. 

Kisses, gentle yet hungry kissed over Varia’s collarbone and neck as Varia’s hips bucked slightly, indicating he was ready for more. Maddox began to move his hips steadily, hands kneading the flesh of the other’s thighs as he spread him. Maddox would have thought the other exceedingly quiet in bed. He also would have thought that, despite his stature, Varia would take a hard line against being penetrated and brought any pleasure in that way.

_I’m learning a lot about the commander and his body tonight._

It was a good thing that they were removed from the others and from the rest of the elves. There were surely guards outside, and they would surely report the activities inside to Daylor and the Elders, but Maddox doubted that it would change very much. As far as the elves were concerned, they were the only two each other could have, tainted as they were. They could make insinuations about Maddox and Varia sleeping together that would force Maddox to spin this in a way that would surely alienate Varia, but Maddox didn’t think the elves that deep in the politics of other species to do so. 

And damn them if they did. Maddox wanted nothing to take away from this moment, from the connection and the pleasure. Varia needed this as much as he did, perhaps more and Maddox would be damned if he was going to deny him. 

Maddox fell into Varia’s arms as they wrapped around him, going as deep as the other allowed as then some. Varia caught his eyes, holding his stare for a long moment. Maddox expected the other to look away, or for the moment to be broken by either realizing just who the other was. But Varia’s eyes only reflected Maddox’s own, and soon his lips had descended back upon Varia’s. Varia’s kisses held the same need and fervor, the same passion and submission.

Maddox could count on one hand how many of his sexual encounters had been so intimate. He had seen the soul of many through sex, but none had ever seen through to him. But Varia could. It was terrifying and exhilarating, guiding his lips to bring pleasure to wherever his hands could not. His mouth left a small mark on the other’s neck, just inside where Varia’s hair fell and almost as dark. 

“Come with me.” Maddox whispered against the other’s lips.

In the situation it may have been taken simply as an invitation to orgasm and a warning that such was impending from Maddox. But whether that was all that it meant was unclear. Maddox wanted the other to orgasm, his own body was tensing with need, his cock engorging with blood to expend his seed. But perhaps it was also an invitation to an adventure. One of the heart perhaps, if either had such romantic notions flitting around behind rationality, but also something else, somewhere else. Perhaps Maddox was asking Varia to be more than a bed partner and a temporary ally.

Varia’s legs began to tremble as Maddox pushed them towards Varia’s chest, spreading them further. He needed to go deeper, to claim every inch of Varia. Varia’s lips were parted, his eyes focused on Maddox’s, his face flush with pleasure. As taken with him as Varia was, Maddox was equally absorbed in the other.

Continuously he was struck by how different this all was from their usual interactions. His own actions baffled him, but he could easily chalk it up to a need to dominate and win against the other in some way, however small. But he could not deny the changes he observed and felt. 

Ever since he had known him Varia had always carried a weight. In his movements, in his fighting, in every look and glare was a heaviness that never seemed to go away and with marred the otherwise attractive features. It was why up until recently Maddox had never given thought to whether or not Varia was attractive. Until the blast has forced them to reevaluate their positions, that weight had obscured everything. But since that night in the caves and every moment since, that weight had shifted and now was temporarily removed.

And oh was the man freed of it beautiful.

Maddox hung onto every twitch of that open face that displayed its feelings and emotions so unfiltered and honestly. When those eyes asked to be kissed, he kissed him. When they begged to be explored deeper, he pushed deeper. He could deny Varia nothing then. 

The hands that trembled over his flesh and dug into it were vindication, the others sigh of release salvation. Varia’s body tightened around him from all sides, bombarding him with sensation and refusing to release him. Maddox’s thrust became more erratic and faster until the other orgasmed, a sudden convulsion that triggered Maddox as well and forced him to bury his face in Varia’s shoulder. 

His hips kept moving even after he was expended, urging his seed into the other to claim him deeper than he could reach. He was unwilling to let go of the moment. He breathed heavily against Varia’s skin, aware of the stickiness that coated them as well as that which now filled Varia. He knew it was time to return to reality and yet he refused, not wanting to go back to the moments before. But he had to know that this had been real, that the moment had not been a figment of his imagination. 

His head lifted, eyes gazing down at Varia beneath him. Varia stared back at him, the look in his eye was strange. A hand lifted to Maddox’s face and Varia brushed his finger tips against Maddox’s cheek softly, pushing his hair from his eyes. Such a natural and gentle gesture when Maddox expected the return of violence. 

He gazed at the other, losing himself in the icy depths of Varia’s eyes for a long moment, before his lips descended upon the others once more. Gentle. Consoling. Grateful. His injured hand brushed back the hairs clinging to Varia’s face as his other kept Varia’s hands on him. He didn’t want to speak, to ruin the moment or extend it past its time. Leaving felt wrong, but so did staying so close. So he continued to kiss the other, extricating his body slowly until he lay just to the side of Varia.

His eyes opened again to the other’s as Varia turned his face towards him. He could see his eyes shifting as he struggled with his feelings. He wondered what he was thinking, if he was thinking the same as Maddox. Whether to let the moment slip away or not. 

Varia’s hand lifted again, moving towards Maddox’s cheek, but it halted just short. “I...” Varia had begun to speak, but he trailed off, allowing his words to be swallowed by the moment. 

It was a shame that the hand that reached for him stopped just short, for it may have stayed the growing tide of things Maddox could say to ruin this. It was welling up in his throat, all the things that came to mine, none of which were appropriate for their positions right now, but which would assure a speedy recovery of the people they had been just before.

“My mind quiets when you’re around...” Varia found his words. And what tumbled out arrested the tidal wave. He knew what the other meant and he was shocked by the confession. If only his own fears and whispers would be so kind. 

_You aren’t yet up to my demons standards_.

Maddox gave a small laugh and pressed his face into the other’s shoulder, hiding eyes that could not properly return the gratitude he saw in Varia’s. “If I say anymore it would only be to ruin this.” Maddox’s hand slip down Varia’s arm, fingertips brushing Varia’s palm as they found the tips of his fingers. “I want this dream to last until morning.” 

Because it was a dream, a passing fancy. Even if everything exposed in their gazes were true, even if this was Varia opening up, the fact still remained that Maddox was closed off. Varia had seen more than others. Maddox had shared a piece of himself that he typically didn’t. He had been more open tonight than he had with anyone or at any other time. But a cracked door was not the same as no door. There were still things that Maddox didn’t want others to know, to see, about him. Varia perhaps opened up a bit, allowed Maddox to see pieces of him he never had shown before, but Maddox did not take that as meaning Varia trusted Maddox.

A breeze blew in through the windows and Maddox realized for the first time that he was completely naked next to Varia. He felt exposed in a way that had little to do with what they had just done. He sat up and found his shirt, pulling it back over his head, keeping his back turned away from Varia. He found Varia’s shirt as well, but used it to clean up the mess they had left all over Varia’s abdomen. It wasn’t like Varia would wear the shirt to bed, still so used to the cold of Arcturus.

Cithrel was whispering softly, but Maddox chose to ignore it. The world was encroaching much too quickly on this moment, on them, on Maddox. Despite himself he found his mouth moving in speech anyway. “I will bring that look to your face again. I promise you that.” Whether he meant the look of complete abandon and openness Varia had displayed, or the complete closedness of a man betrayed, Maddox couldn’t say. Both were likely true, and both brought with them implications he didn’t want.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varia and Maddox are forced to deal with the aftermath of the night before. Maddox handles it with grace. Varia falls.

\- Varia -

  
Varia fell asleep without realizing it, physically and emotionally drained. His mind remained quiet, reminding him that Maddox’s presence had a profound effect on him. Though his nightmares were pushed back, something else was there, creeping up on him from the dark. If he remembered it in his conscious state he would recognize it as an evil trying to awaken. His sleep seemed short, and he was awakened by a harsh ray of sunlight beaming into his eyes from the open canopy. 

His hand lifted to block it, but the brightness of the room invaded his senses. He rolled to escape instead, but as he did he found his face pressed completely into Maddox’s chest. Memories of the night before began flooding his tired mind, and though he nearly felt sick, he didn’t move. He sighed against Maddox’s flesh, taking comfort in the heat radiating from the others body. The dream ended and now he was expected to return to normal. He never had to hide any sort of fondness for others, especially those who already knew. It was all new to him, every bit of the situation he found himself in. But emotions were emotions, no matter the kind. Arcturus gave him an edge over Maddox. He could push them away, bury them deep inside of himself until nothing remained. 

Yet as he lay there, more than aware that the Captain was awake, he felt content in the other arms. He needed to take another brief moment like this, to remember. He drew a deep breath, allowing the scent of Maddox to fill his senses. He smelled like forests and he had the familiar scent of Arcturus. Though that wasn’t all. He smelled like Er Rai, Nihal, and even Volcanra. He smelled of a freedom Varia could never have.

Varia finally sat up straight, pulling himself away from Maddox, stripping himself from the Captains arms. He threw his legs over the edge of the bed, a hand moving to ruffle at his own hair sleepily. He didn’t look to Maddox, instead slowly shifting to his feet. His body groaned in pain. His leg hurt, his rear was sore, he could feel the marks Maddox left over his body aching. He felt like total shit. He heard Maddox snort in amusement from behind him, and that caused him to shoot a sharp look over his shoulder.

_Amusing when it isn’t you, bastard._

“When do I see the elders?” Varia finally spoke. He crouched, snatching his pants from where they had been tossed aside so carelessly the night before and pulled them over his bare flesh. He was painfully aware of his tone of voice. It sounded the same as always, soft yet stern, full of malice and an attitude Arcturus couldn’t beat out of him. There was something else, though. A sadness perhaps, uncertainty, disappointment. He was not sure, but he could hear it.

“They won’t arrive today. Most likely tomorrow at the earliest, a few days from now at the latest. The elves move at their own time, but your presence on top of mine will inspire them to move a bit faster I imagine.” Maddox answered. Varia could feel his eyes on his back, burning into him. Varia attempted to take the lead on putting last night behind them, pretending it didn’t happen. It seemed to be working, at least.

“I didn’t lie.” Maddox sighed from behind him. Varia turned to face him, his gaze distrustful as he took in the Captains words. “I don’t regret it either. Even if just a dream, I wouldn’t dare forget it.” He had spoke to Varia in Arcturian, the works clumsy on his tongue.

“The elves can take us to a pool, if you want a wash. Forest elves tend to stick to vegetarian diets if you had hopes for a carnivorous breakfast.” Maddox continued to speak in the common tongue.

Varia still lingered on the words Maddox spoke to him in Arcturian. They caught him off guard. He was convinced Maddox would not want to even mention the previous night. Ignoring it made it easier to forget, didn’t it? It made it easier to remain steadfast in their own admission that it hadn’t meant anything. 

_It was a mistake. It shouldn’t have a lasting effect. We’re meant to forget about the things we felt, forget about the words we spoke and the others we didn’t._

Varia remained quiet for a long moment, his eyes no longer locked onto Maddox, instead past him. He barely heard the words, barely listened to them at all. 

_I won’t forget either. I don’t want to._

Varia finally pulled a shirt over his head, a deep sigh slipping past his lips. He ran his hands against his hair, attempting to smooth it as best he could, though it didn’t do much to quell his wild locks. “Ruins my plans for breakfast...” He murmured as his eyes turned down to his wounded leg. It still pained him, but whatever the strange women from the night before had done had begun to take effect. 

He turned his eyes back to Maddox as the Captain sat up properly and threw his legs over the side of the bed. He allowed his eyes to move down his virtually perfect frame, silently approving of Maddox’s appearance once again. “You need to bathe.” He spoke, before his legs moved on their own.

Varia stepped forward, standing above Maddox, staring down his nose at the Captain. He enjoyed looking down on Maddox. But rather than taunt him as he normally would, as he probably should, his hands reached upwards, brushing his fingertips against his cheeks. It was quite similar to the position that had gotten him into trouble the night before, and he found himself reminiscing of the night they had shared again.

“I won’t forget either, even if I wanted to.” Varia whispered, icy eyes locked onto those intelligent and deep pools of green. He stay there for a long moment, feeling the tips of Maddox’s fingers brushing against his thighs. Maddox’s features turned up into a smirk, and Varia’s lips twitched in response. For a moment he felt that same need and fervor pulling at him, but he resisted it. Instead he pulled back, marching towards the door and pulling it open. The guards stationed outside of their residence looked to him as he emerged, and he gave them a pointed look. “Take us to bathe.”

If the guards knew anything about what had happened last night they indicated nothing. They silently led Varia and Maddox to a small pool just inside the trees, away from the village. It was fed by a small waterfall, tumbling down off of a small rise of moss covered rocks. Brom and Sabre already sat in the pool, the crystal clear water leaving nothing to the imagination.

“You two survived. Sleep well?” Maddox asked as he and Varia stepped forward. He didn’t remove any of his clothes, only his boots, and waded into the water. “Gods, if they wanted to castrate me, there are nicer ways.” Maddox cursed.

_He certainly had no problem revealing himself to me last night. When did he become so shy?_

Varia scowled as he watched Maddox, removing his own clothes and folding them neatly near the shore. Yet Maddox’s sudden shyness was the least of his concerns. He was both relieved and terribly annoyed that the others were at the pool. On one hand, their presence would assure that he could begin attempting to distract himself from Maddox and his newfound unwanted feelings. On the other, he knew how they looked. Brom had been with him ten years, and should know him well enough to be able to read the situation and conclude what went on last night. Besides that, Varia wore the remnants of Maddox’s hands and lips on his body. He wasn’t entirely sure how many there were, or even how dark they were. Even without the marks he almost certainly wore, the hesitation in his step would be noticed by Brom. Sabre, though Varia knew very little about him, seemed perceptive as well. 

Varia continued into the bath, desperate to be cleaned regardless of what his naked body may or may not reveal to the others. The pool wasn’t very deep, but Varia was small enough that he could sit and be nearly completely covered by the water. The water was cold, welcoming him and embracing his weathered body, lapping at the dirt and grime he had accumulated the nights leading up to this point.

He settled into the water near Brom, though keeping a reasonable and respectful distance between them as he normally did. “How are you feeling? Did they say when the elders would arrive?” Brom asked him quietly.

_No, they aren’t speaking with us at all. We’re tainted, remember?_

Varia snorted, taking one of the small soaps the elves had left for them on the shore. They were scented with herbs and flowers the elves had gathered. Varia was not overly flashy, nor did he care about flowery scents, but it was better than scrubbing at dirt with his hands.

“Your brother predicts they’ll arrive no earlier than tomorrow.” Varia murmured as he ran the soap along his arms and chest. He was vaguely aware of Sabre’s eyes on him. He considered what he may be thinking, if he was appraising his own appearance or if he was aware that he had lay with Maddox the night before. 

“Regardless of when these elders arrive, we should take advantage of the hospitality while we can. I doubt we’ll have much down time once we leave.” Varia murmured, his eyes shifting to Maddox. This place had almost started feeling like a sanctuary for the two of them. The moment they had shared last night felt sacred, and leaving here would thrust them back into a world where they were enemies. 

The thought disturbed him, the thought that he had become used to treating Maddox as an ally, a lover even. His eyes turned from the Captain at that. 

_I know better. I fucking know better than to allow myself to be swayed by the Captains touches and words. I’m a sword for Maddox and his cell, nothing more. Anything that happened last night was a dream, like Maddox said._

Brom gave a small noise of acknowledgment to Varia’s timeline, but the two remained quiet. Sabre and Maddox chatted quietly to each other across the small pool. Sabre didn’t look back to Varia, whatever he had assessed was finished, but Maddox kept turning his head to the side, allowing his eyes to drift to Varia briefly every so often. 

_He’s making sure I don’t run. As if he could stop me if I did._

Varia was not sure where these bitter thoughts came from, but the longer he sat there with the other three, the more irritated he was becoming. Though Sabre’s eyes were no longer inspecting him, he could feel Brom doing it now. Varia didn’t turn to him, scrubbing at his chest and legs under the water. 

_He’s checking me for wounds. He does this always, this is not new._

Varia was being paranoid. How could anyone just look at another and determine that they slept with their former enemy? Brom had done this the entire time they had been together. He was always concerned for Varia. He wasn’t aware of what happened, and even if he was he shouldn’t care. His eyes found Maddox’s once again, wondering what he was thinking then.

“Be mindful you don’t take too much advantage in sight of the Nihalian. He is very perceptive and very protective of my brother.” Brom whispered to Varia in Arcturian, confirming what Varia had feared. His words nearly caused Varia to flinch. His gaze snapped away from Maddox immediately, focusing instead on the water in front of him. He realized Maddox and Sabre had stopped speaking, and the four were now left in silence. He nearly didn’t respond, almost content to allow the silence to drag on around them. But as he turned his gaze back to Brom, he knew he looked every bit the Demon of Arcturus.

“There is nothing for him to perceive. A temporary moment of weakness and lapse in judgment is all, one that will not happen again. I won’t speak of this again.” His tone was harsh and cold, his Arcturian snapping from his tongue with venom. It was useless to deny anything to Brom. He hadn’t outright told Varia he knew, but it was obvious. He hadn’t whispered, he almost wanted Maddox to hear. He was distancing himself, though he wasn’t going about it in the best sort of way.

He held Broms gaze for a long moment, painfully aware of the glare Maddox had cast his direction. He didn’t care, he couldn’t care. He finally turned back to his task, lowering his eyes back to his arms as he began to scrub at them again.

_I need to wash every trace of Maddox off of me. I’m no love sick fool, I was the Demon of Arcturus. I **AM** the Demon of Arcturus. He can’t strip me of that. I am the most powerful man alive. I don’t need him to give me a reason to exist!_

Varia hadn’t noticed his skin beginning to blossom with red from his harsh and feverish scrubbing. In a matter of seconds he had retreated back into the lonely darkness of his mind, moving further from the other’s than he had been even at the beginning of this journey.

_I don’t need them. I can rid myself of Arcturus without them. I don’t need Brom, I don’t need Maddox._

_**WE don’t need any of them.** _

He heard Sabre whisper to Maddox in a form of Nihalian he didn’t fully understand. He heard Maddox snap back to him in hushed tones. Was he truly that embarrassed that he acted like a normal human? It was only sex, wasn’t it?

_Maddox is just trying to gain more leverage against me. This was only one more thing he’s done in order to bend me to his will. He’s using me to fight Arcturus, to fight my home. It’s not my fault I was discarded by Arcturus. It’s Brom’s fault. It’s fucking Maddox’s fault. They did this. They put me in this position. They ruined my fucking life. They stole the only thing I ever gave a shit about. I left my men behind, my home, my entire purpose us b left behind on the ice because they want to turn me on my own people like a fucking dog._

_**They don’t deserve your powers. They don’t deserve your army. HE doesn’t deserve any part of you. They did this. It’s their fault. You’re stronger than them, Arcturus wouldn’t have betrayed you if not for them. They stole your purpose. They’re using you. They’ll cast you aside once they’re through with you. He will kill you once he’s finished using you.** _

Varia’s hands stopped moving against his skin. His eyes didn’t lift from the water, despite realizing that the other’s had grown quiet and were once again staring at him. He stared at his reflection for a moment, before a drop of red rippled through his reflection, spreading copper through the crystal of the water. It was followed by more drops, and his gaze lifted to his own arm. He had been so angry, so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn’t realized how hard he had scrubbed his own flesh. The skin on his forearm was ripped, blood was smeared against his arm from where he had continued on after it had torn. 

The sound of water sloshing behind him suddenly snapped him too. Varia’s eyes shot upwards and focused on the other three. All eyes were on him, which only angered him more. His eyes met everyone’s face, noting the fear and disgust on Sabres, the concern on Broms, and the impassiveness of Maddox’s, before he rose. Without a word he turned, climbing from the pool and snatching his clothing from the ground. Two of the guards turned to follow him, trailing behind him at a distance, which was probably for the best. He needed to be alone, he couldn’t be near the other’s right then. 

_Something is wrong._

**_No, this is right. Leave them._ **

The elves corralled him into the tree house, though he would have gone there anyway had he remembered the way. He stalked into the room, pulling his pants back onto his body, though he didn’t bother tying them up. He paced the length of the wall, hands running through his hair and pushing against his temples. He felt a headache splitting through his skull. It had been so long since he had an episode, and they normally were brought on after battle. This one had come on so quickly, so violently. Had they been anywhere else in the world he certainly would have lashed out and attacked. He felt his rage bubbling in his chest, restricting his breathing and causing his hands to tremble. 

Varia paced, considering for a moment to just run. But with Dor’Goth still living inside of him, he wouldn’t get far. His breathing had become short and quick, his chest trembling as he attempted to draw oxygen into his body. He finally gave up his pacing, instead pushing his forehead against the wooden wall, closing his eyes tightly.

He had finally begun to calm down when he heard the door open and close. His teeth grit, his breath hitching in his chest as he heard someone rummaging through the drawers.

“You’re making the elves nervous. What’s eating at you?” 

_Are you fucking kidding me?_

Varia was truly surprised that Maddox had followed him. He half expected Brom. Brom had always known when an episode was beginning, and had always come to try and calm Varia down before he damaged anything, anyone or himself. But he was not expecting Maddox. Varia slowly turned his head, pushing back from the wall. He looked back towards Maddox, his body tensed with anticipation. He could hear Cithrel whispering at Maddox’s side, causing his jaw to clench in annoyance.

**_Good. Warn him of what he’s walked in to._ **

Varia didn’t understand the emotions Maddox had begun to force out of him. They were foreign and all he knew was that they were hyper focused around Maddox. If Varia understood his condition better, he would know that Maddox was forcing him to feel much too quickly and too strongly. He needed time to process, he needed time where he wasn’t being actively influenced by a demon. But all he knew was anger. Twisting any emotion he felt into anger and violence was encouraged and rewarded in Arcturus. The voices that were usually so quiet around Maddox were now screaming at him, causing his eyes to close briefly against their wails.

“What’s eating me?” Varia hissed, his tongue poison. He dared the man to step closer to him, wanting nothing more than to drive his fists into Maddox’s face over and over until he made jam.

He wasn’t sure how to answer the question. There were plenty of things eating at him. 

_Perhaps I should tell him everything. He’ll likely understand._

**_No he won’t. He’ll think you are broken. Nobody wants a broken blade._ **

The moment that thought crossed him, he felt his anger rise into his throat, choking him, suffocating him. 

_How dare he ask such a thing and to expect an answer. How dare he follow me here! I am not his fucking prisoner!_

_**Yes you are. He’s been explicitly clear with you. The dream has ended, and you are left reeling from it. You didn’t want it to end, you didn’t want to face reality. He gave you a sip of freedom and want, and you don’t want to let it go. That is what he wanted. You’re a stranger among them, you’re their weapon. A weapon that HE thinks that he can fuck whenever he feels the need. A weapon that HE thinks belongs to HIM. You wouldn’t be feeling any of this if he hadn’t meddled to begin with. You could be with Arcturus still. You could be home. Don’t you miss home?** _

Varia turned from Maddox as the voice in his mind hissed to him. He snatched a cloth from the small table near him, pressing it against the blood on his arm. “It isn’t anything that concerns you, nor is it any of your business.” 

He wanted to forget about the dream. He needed to forget about it. He would twist it so many ways in his mind that it would become something else entirely. He could forget. He had to. He didn’t need to be coddled or baby sat. He was useless right now, and Maddox could have let him go off and be angry alone. But he didn’t. Maddox felt such a strong need to meddle in every aspect of Varia’s life. 

_I am a prisoner. I’m a weapon they chose to tote around. I would rather Arcturus continued to use me, at least I’m numb to them._

**_He isn’t offering you freedom, he’s offering you death._ **

Maddox raised a brow and leant against the wall near the door. He had changed from his wet clothing when he had come in, clearly comfortable stripping in front of Varia yet not his own brother or his friend. Another thought that served to anger Varia, though why he did not know.

“Doesn’t concern me, huh? So that loud declaration at the bath was because Brom has grown deaf in the last day, has it?” Maddox challenged. Varia snorted through his nose, turning his eyes back to Maddox again.

_Why is he arguing? I’m vehemently putting distance between us. That’s a fucking GOOD thing!_

**_He doesn’t want you to leave! He wants you to stay and be his little whore!_ **

If Varia was being rational at the moment he may understand why Maddox was there and arguing with him. When they had parted this morning it had been natural, calm and agreeable. Even if they had tacitly agreed not to talk on it, there was no hostility, just the slowly fading memory of a pleasant night. Maddox was likely confused as to why now Varia was lashing out.

“If my brother said something he shouldn’t have, punch him in the face. If you have a problem with me, I’m ready to tangle with you any time. If last night wasn’t enough, I can go again. What I will not have is you flipping through personalities at the drop of a hat and then keeping mum about it. You don’t want to talk to me, fine. Talk to Brom, talk to the trees. But even as a weapon I don’t need a ticking time bomb, but a honed sword. If you want out after this reverting to your old ways ain’t it. How quickly you forget that which you said you wouldn’t.” 

_Maddox certainly has a lot to say all of a sudden._

**_Who will defeat Arcturus for him if not you? He stole everything from you._ **

Varia sneered at Maddox and his speech, allowing the cloth to drop to the floor carelessly. Maddox was speaking to him in clipped Arcturian, his words rough with the clumsiness of his tongue. He sounded like a child, but spoke with all of the authority as if he had mastery over every syllable. If Varia had been in his right mind, he would have teased him for it, but instead he responded to his words with threats of violence in his movements. 

“Oh, fuck off! I’ve been a ticking time bomb my entire life! You said so yourself that breeders have an expiration date. You already knew that long before you decided to take everything from me.” Varia spat his words to Maddox’s feet. He wanted to hurt him in any way he could. Hurting him physically wasn’t an option at this moment, but though Varia perhaps wasn’t the best at hurling insults, he could certainly try.

But how dare he approach him. Varia didn’t know how to forget. He didn’t know how to react to guilt and embarrassment, both of which he felt when the others knew so quickly. He didn’t know what to do or how to act when he was faced with the thought of leaving the dream behind. He only knew anger. He only knew how to lash out. Imagining himself continuing on with Maddox and pretending nothing had happened seemed impossible. Thinking of how Maddox was so much more experienced in these situations was frustrating. Considering all he had seen in Maddox’s eyes being a lie was not something he was equipped for. He didn’t want it to be done. He craved the compassion he felt, the gentleness, the feelings even. He never knew he craved those things, and now he knew he couldn’t have it.

“I have to forget it, Maddox. I don’t care what I said and I don’t care what you said. I’m going to forget it. I have to, or I won’t be able to be what you need me to be.” His anger was still there, but he had a sudden switch from anger to desperation. He needed help, and Brom wasn’t there. Maddox wasn’t helping, he was making it worse. He could feel the rise of anger again, he could feel his legs trembling under him, his hands moving to brush through his hair.

He hadn’t gone along with this plan to simply strike back at Arcturus, or because he believed they could. He had a taste of freedom then, and once again last night. He had never felt so free, so in control of his own life. But Maddox didn’t need him, nor did he want him for that purpose. He needed to throw him at Arcturus, and Varia would do just that. The only way he could ever be free would be if he died. He wasn’t suicidal by any means, but he was so tired. Death was mercy in his eyes. Every time he looked at Maddox, he remembered the feeling. The small feeling that had struck him last night and even again that very morning. He felt normal. He felt like he could be something other than a damaged warrior. He felt like he could have something like he had the night before, shared with someone who didn’t see him only as the Demon of Arcturus. Someone who didn’t want him for his powers or his knack for waging war. He had never wanted someone like that, he never craved love or anything like that. But briefly, briefly it hadn’t felt so bad. 

**_This sanctuary you built in your mind is a hell, not a refuge._ **

“If I believed that was all you were I would have killed you long ago. Brom seemed convinced you could be more, and I’ve seen that to be true. And to be clear, I took nothing from you.” Maddox corrected, his brow furrowing. “I gave you a reliable confidant and wingman who still is more loyal to you than anyone, and I’m giving you a chance at freedom and redemption. Might I remind you I am not responsible for how you’ve been raised nor that Arcturus decided you are too dangerous to let live. I didn’t tell you to be so damn good at killing and raising morale. Hell, it would have served my purposes if you hadn’t. Arcturus wants you dead because you took too well to their program and it had unforeseen consequences for your popularity. Don’t blame me for that shit.” 

Varia was snapped from his thoughts as Maddox spoke to him again, realizing he was still cornered. He bared his teeth at the other, his eyes narrowing as Maddox closed his eyes and took a deep breath, as if this was exhausting.

_You chose to follow me. Don’t act so put off, I’ve not attacked you yet._

**_But you should. Rid yourself of this foul beast and rise above all in this world._ **

“And what makes you think you have a clear idea of what I want?” Maddox continued softly, tilting his head at Varia. “What also makes you think you can survive long enough to figure that out, being as you were?” Maddox pushed away from the door and moved closer to Varia headless of the danger, his hands lifted in surrender. “What makes you think you aren’t more susceptible to the demon by forgetting? What do you fight for, Varia? What have you ever fought for? Because you were good at it? Because it was expected? Ask yourself if those reasons are good enough, strong enough to stand up to the will of a thousand year old demon who wants to end your life. Do you have a will not to be used?” 

Varia physically recoiled away from Maddox as he drew closer, stumbling back from him as he attempted to put distance between them once more. It wasn’t the movement that had caught him so off guard, but the tone Maddox had taken with him, the words he spoke. He hadn’t been overly vocal about the stress he had been feeling over Arcturus. It had been fairly obvious he supposed, but he hadn’t spoken on it, not since the caves. He had pulled it close to his chest and tried to forget all about it, but it hadn’t worked. 

"You placed Brom with me to groom me. I don’t blame you for my upbringing, I don’t blame you for how well I turned out, or the fact that I became a viable threat to Arcturus. I blame you for the whispers. I blame you for spreading the belief I wanted Arcturus, you told me you did that. I could have convinced them, I could have stayed doing what I had been doing if you hadn’t fucking meddled!" Varia snapped, his eyes widening as they honed in on Maddox. "You took that from me, Brom took it from me. Your entire fucking cell took that from me, and for what?! To turn me loose on my country? To use the men that will follow me?! Nothing has changed, this isn’t fucking freedom! This isn’t fucking redemption! I'm going to die on the ice fighting for YOU! There isn’t any scenario that ends with me living, even if Arcturus doesn't kill me!" 

It was surprisingly rare for Varia to raise his voice in anger. His tone changed, grew harsh and sharp, but he very rarely yelled. But Maddox was taking strides with him that others hadn’t been able too, though Maddox likely wished he hadn’t hit this bump in the road.

"The demon inside of me is clear with what he wants and his intentions. He doesn't expect me to believe that he won’t kill me when he’s through with me. He doesn’t mask his intentions with delusions of fancy, pretty dreams." Varia’s hands were shaking so badly now he couldn’t hide them. They were brushing at his hair, pulling at his long strands, trying to distract himself from the rage that threatened to consume him.

The voices were back and were screaming so loudly Varia wasn’t entirely convinced that they were in his head. It was all so close, it felt like everything was collapsing around him, and Maddox was only making it worse.

"What am I fighting for? I fight for nothing, and no one. And once you’re through with me, you'll kill me. If Dor’Goth will make it more difficult for you to kill me once I've served your purpose, _good._ It's what you fucking deserve." He was speaking purely out of anger now. These were not usually things he would say to Maddox, or to anyone. 

Brom was the only one who had ever seen him like this, and even Brom struggled to help Varia when he started having an episode. The screams were crashing around him, pulling him down with him. They had been so quiet lately. Maddox had somehow managed to fend them off, yet they had come back with a vengeance, and Varia needed someone to take the blame. 

Varia was afraid, and he knew Maddox could sense that. He could see it written all over Maddox’s face. He wasn’t surprised Maddox knew he was scared, Maddox had known him for fifteen years. Maddox knew Varia’s anger. Varia’s anger resulted in violence, in him growing cold and lashing out as quick and hard as possible. But despite Varia’s urge for violence, he wasn’t lashing out. He was half venting his insecurities, half speaking aloud his concerns, pacing back and forth before Maddox. It was probably so strange for Maddox to see. As strange as the night before when Varia had shown Maddox such vulnerability and softness. Varia was unsure, off balance and struggling to find footing. Maddox's look of concern only fueled the fire in him.

“To be clear, Brom was supposed to kill you initially. He decided, on his own, that there was something more to you and I trusted his judgment. He was your ally long before he was charged to do any kind of grooming. Second, the spread of you trying to take over would have happened regardless of my intentions. That is just good warfare and was not exactly my idea besides.” Maddox clarified, lowering his arms and taking another step forward. 

Varia snapped a glared up to Maddox, before his eyes closed tightly. The pain shot through his skull again, his fists tightening in his hair. He didn’t want to hear what Maddox had to say, but he needed to hear it. Had he been in his right mind he would have appreciated Maddox’s attempt. But right then all he could think of was how loud the screams were. He wasn’t focused on Maddox any more, and perhaps Maddox knew that. Perhaps why that’s Maddox closed the distance between them so quickly.

Maddox reached for him, grabbing Varia’s wrists and forcing him to stop his incessant motions and the pulling of his own hair. Varia jerked back from him, surprised at the boldness. Maddox held his grip, or as much as he could with one busted arm. Varia managed to free one arm and made Maddox pay for it, slamming his knuckles into Maddox’s jaw. But Maddox did not let go of his other arm and used the momentum to swing Varia into his arms, pinning his back to Maddox’s chest. He snatched Varia’s wayward arm, pinning it against Varia’s own chest as well.

“Stop Varia! Listen to me!” Maddox beseeched him, holding him tightly and tucking his face into the crook of Varia’s neck to avoid being head butted. “I have no intention to kill you, not unless you make me! Not unless you give me no choice! I want to give you another option!” Maddox hissed in Arcturian as he struggled with Varia.

Had Varia been in his right mind and not trying so desperately to escape, he would have maybe stood a chance against Maddox. He would have most definitely stood a chance against him, but he did not have that sort of control over himself in that moment.

Though Maddox had a decent hold on him, maybe because he did, Varia was not just letting him hold him and chat. Maddox pushed them towards the bed, falling on his side, trying to keep a hold. “I’m offering you a reason to fight! Not for me, not for my cell, for yourself! So that even if I’m a lying bastard you know something more than death and killing and will fight to have it!” Maddox continued. “The only difference between you and I is that purpose!”

Varia balked at the grip, struggling desperately against Maddox as he was suddenly on his back and pulled flush against Maddox’s chest. Maddox had the leverage of the bed, using it to keep Varia restrained, but that only served to fuel his anger even more.

“If I wanted to fight I wouldn’t need your help in finding one! My purpose is whatever the fuck you’ve decided it should be, and it isn’t anything I would have chosen if I were given a goddamn choice! You’ve given me nothing, you only take! I’ll fight for the right to die and finally be free of Arcturus and you and all the filthy people of this world!” Varia roared, his struggles amplifying. 

He tried to calm his escalation, knowing he needed to stop. He wasn’t in his right mind, yet he somehow knew his panic and anger wasn’t entirely his own. Dor’Goth was there, he could feel him. But that didn’t matter. 

Varia only ever needed a single opening to turn the tides. Even in the middle of a breakdown, Varia was absolutely one of the deadliest men alive, maybe more so when he didn’t quite realize what he was doing or who he was fighting. Brom wasn’t there, and Maddox only seemed to be making it worse. 

It happened in a moment. Varia had only been trying to flee, to escape from Maddoxs clutches and run. But in his struggle, his elbow came back to connect with Maddoxs sternum. A crunch sounded from the force, and when Maddox gasped in pain his grip on Varia had loosened. Without a single hesitation, Varia had twisted from Maddoxs grip, flipping the two men over so Maddox was on his back beneath him, his legs pinned tightly to the mans waist. Varias hand shoved downwards, grasping Maddox around the mouth and forcing his head back against the bed roughly. 

He could hear Cithrel, he could hear his own demons, he could hear the thunderous laughter of Dor’Goth, all of it was so loud. As he stared down at Maddox, he didn’t see the man he had grown to know. He saw another person who was adamant on using him. He saw another liar, promising things in order to turn Varia on whomever he wished. He saw Hero of Er Rai, his enemy, the man he so desperately wanted dead. 

He could see Maddox’s eyes widen with the realization that Varia didn’t recognize him, in fear. It caused his arrogance to swell, and only served to fuel his rage. 

The shadows around Maddox’s head grew darker, shifting and bubbling. Everything grew dark in his vision, honing in on his prey, on Maddox.

The screaming hot pain slammed into his skull with such force he was certain he would die. The elves magic was strong, much stronger than Varia. The pain interrupted all murderous thoughts, and halted the voices in his mind. His hands immediately moved from Maddox, moving to his own head, clasping over his ears, as if that would help. He curled into himself, a pained gasp leaving his lips followed by a pathetic whimper. 

Had they been anywhere else Varia would have killed Maddox. The guilt would sink in eventually. It always did. He had lashed out and attacked Brom plenty of times, but never like that. Never this badly. He fully intended to murder Maddox in the very bed they had loved each other in just the night before.

Varia closed his eyes tightly, feeling the threat of tears pushing at him from both pain and shame. He felt Maddox shift from under him, sitting up halfway. Varia slowly opened his eyes to peer up at him, his shoulders trembling as the pain began to subside. Maddox’s own breath was harsh due in part to the partial suffocation as well as their tussle. Maddox’s hand reached out for him, hesitating for a moment before he gently cupped Varia’s cheek.

For a few long and agonizing moments the pair sat there, Varia’s hands clamped over his own ears, one of Maddox’s rested on Varia’s cheek, their eyes locked.

Finally Maddox’s other hand lifted to Varia’s other cheek, pulling his face up to lean in. The words found him, and suddenly Varia felt fine. 

“Use me.” Maddox whispered in Arcturian, bringing his face close so that he only had to whisper. “Use me, Varia. More than I use you, until the very end, before I have a chance to do whatever it is you fear. Use my knowledge and past to find a way to control the demon. Use my cell and alliances to break all chains that would hold you down to any country, to any one. Use my emotions, arrogance and understanding to find something besides war and death to live for. Use me however you wish, as hard as you wish, and before I’m done with you, if you are convinced still that I intend your death, use all of it to kill me first, to break your last shackles. If you cannot trust me, Varia, then use me.”

Varia’s gaze became focused once more, his eyes locked with Maddox’s. This was comfort, a strange comfort he was not used to. He took Maddox’s words in, and despite everything telling him to disregard Maddox and his words, he believed him. He was comforted by his words, by that gentle touch. Perhaps he was exhausted from his episode. It had come on so quickly and had become so intense in such a short amount of time. He’d had worse episodes in the past, but this one felt different. Perhaps it was the Graves, perhaps it was Dor’Goth, perhaps Maddox. He wasn’t sure. But they had never been brought on by so many emotions, emotions he rarely, if ever, felt. 

Nothing that Maddox tried to present to him in that moment seemed plausible, yet Varia leant into his touch, craving it. Maddox leant in, pressing his forehead against Varia’s. Varia managed to swallow his tears.

_I know better than to fall for fancy words._

Or… perhaps he didn’t know better. Perhaps that’s what had been happening to him. Maddox hadn’t meant to throw him off the way he had. Perhaps Maddox was speaking the truth, or trying to. There was something there, something he didn’t understand and something he wasn’t sure Maddox understood either.

One of Varia’s hands fell from his head, moving to touch one of Maddox’s that rested on his cheek. He felt himself soften then, knowing his gaze revealed another vulnerability. Fondness, passion and care. He didn’t understand it at all, and he feared the way he felt. He feared it more than Arcturus, more than Dor’Goth, more than anything he knew he would have to face. This was the worst thing he ever had to deal with, and yet he welcomed it.

Varia felt his heart slow finally, his breathing returned to normal. Somehow Maddox had brought him back. Somehow Maddox was able to combat his episode without any prior experience in dealing with them. Varia’s eyes fluttered closed for a moment, the sensation of Maddox’s breath on his lips causing him to return to the happiness and calmness he felt the night before.

“I’m… sorry.” Varia whispered suddenly. 

_That's strange… I never thought I’d apologize to Maddox…_

The words were foreign to him. He hardly had to apologize for anything, never felt the need to, yet in that moment he had to apologize for so much. He wasn’t even sure what those reasons were, and he didn’t expect Maddox to know either. Perhaps he was apologizing because his feelings were blossoming into something more. Perhaps he was apologizing for attacking him, or showing him this weakness. Perhaps he was apologizing for all of the horrors he had forced Maddox to witness over the years. 

He didn’t know. But as he watched Maddox’s lips pull back into a genuine smile, as he took in his tone, his expression, the care in his touch, he realized that the dream was real and it hadn’t left. 

  
And he didn’t want it to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been so busy with work I haven't had much time to complete this chapter! It's a bit shorter than my usual, but I'm content with it.
> 
> As always I'd love to hear from any and all readers! I look forward to hearing everyone's feedback!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varia and Maddox make a decision regarding their new relationship. 
> 
> A brief moment of peace is interrupted by an attack on the graves.
> 
> The elders grow near.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter. Sorry for the delay as well! Been busy with work and trying to get into a routine.
> 
> The next few chapters are going to be fun to write, so I'm hoping to knock them out fairly quickly. 
> 
> As always, please comment with your feedback! I'd love to hear from you all! 
> 
> Here is a question for my readers:
> 
> My outline for this work has most of the smut scenes cut/fade to black. Would you guys prefer that, or for me to write them? I'm open to either suggestion! 
> 
> Please enjoy!

\- Brom -

Brom didn’t know how to feel about the entire situation he had found himself in. He realized moments too late that Varia’s outburst at the pool could have been a precursor to one of his episodes. He rushed from the water, worried that his brother was about to walk into certain death. The severity of Varia’s episodes could usually be gauged by how quickly they elicited a personality change in him, and this had been swift and profound. He should have caught it right away and talked the other down by he still had the physical strength of Maddox, Sabre and the elves to back him up if needed.

Instead, so caught up with the thought that his brother was fucking his friend for sport, he had missed the obvious signs. Brom was unaware of the extent to which the Graves limited Varia’s power, and so he was sure he would come up on the wreckage of the tree-house and several murdered elves and one murdered brother. 

As he approached, not only did everything look normal, there were no sounds of fighting or death. Brom had impatiently taken the lift to the tree tops, but there was still nothing alarming, and the elves looked no more on edge than normal. Brom climbed the branches to the opening of the house above, not wanting to burst in if nothing was wrong or the two were getting up to something.

The scene he came upon was far different from what he expected. Varia’s hand was retracting from Maddox’s face beneath him, the boiling shadows calming as Varia inexplicably came down from his rage. But more than Varia’s episode being suddenly snuffed out, Brom was confused and a little angered by the scene that unfolded after.

Maddox comforting Varia. Varia being comforted. Brom couldn’t hear what was being said nor could he read their lips, but he could see the looks on their faces well enough and read their body language. It wasn’t sex, but it was intimate. More intimate than he had ever seen Varia or knew him capable of. It seemed indecent and shameful for him to be watching, so he slipped from the treetop as silently as he had come, dropping back to the forest floor. His path crossed with Sabre coming from the bath, but he did not know how to answer the other’s look.

“Maddox managed to calm him.” Brom shook his head, looking back towards the canopy. “I don’t understand it.” Nor did he like it, though he couldn’t properly say why. He too had little experience with his emotions and so he struggled to place the bitterness he felt.

Sabre huffed in obvious annoyance to the entire situation, casting a glance up towards the tree house. “Maddox is a fucking idiot.” Sabre grumbled, causing Brom’s lips to twitch in agreement. “Does it… seem like it’ll stop soon?” Sabre asked Brom quietly. Even he seemed unconvinced.

Brom gave a humorless laugh. “When have you know either to let go of things readily, especially when it comes to each other?” Brom replied in Nihalian. Brom expected that both would continue whatever this was, until it destroyed one or both of them. Considering how quickly Varia’s episode had come on this time, it was likely to only get worse as time went on.

Though Maddox had apparently developed the skill that, until now, only Brom had managed. But while Maddox had been able to calm this storm, would he be able to continue to do that? And what if it was Maddox who had the issue? Were any of them capable of calming that beast?

“We’ll have to keep an eye on them. It would be problematic if Maddox lost sight of his purpose.” Brom told the other as they returned to the city village gate and admitted back in. Not desiring to pace the small tree-house and stew over his brother’s new relationship with Varia, Brom and Sabre took to the market place. It was a nice distraction, but despite neither of them speaking on it any more, Brom knew Varia and Maddox would not stop, and it could very well destroy not only both of them, but everyone.

  
\- Maddox -

Maddox had no idea how close he had been to death. He had been prepared to defend himself, but he had no idea to what extent. Besides that, he was not concerned for himself and would not have noticed how close Varia had come to killing him. What had concerned him was the feral look in Varia’s eye. There was no recognition of Maddox in them when Varia attacked, only a murderous hostility. In that moment he worried he wasn’t dealing with Varia at all, but rather the demon. Or worse - a Varia gone insane. But the episode ended thanks in part to the magic of the Graves, and Maddox was now left alone with Varia, and Varia was….  
Apologizing.

Maddox didn’t expect the apology, and his face showed his surprise at hearing it. But he smiled at Varia, closing his eyes as he listened to the other’s breathing calm. His thumbs stroked against Varia’s cheeks, their foreheads pressed against each others still.

“Have the voices quieted at all? Are they the same as always or…?” Maddox asked cautiously, searching Varia’s gaze to gauge whether he was alright or still being tormented. 

“They’re louder than usual… but...” Varia whispered in return, but his words trailed off. 

Maddox’s gaze found Varia’s lips and were trapped there, wanting to kiss him, but not wanting to have his life threatened for it. Still, the hand on the other’s cheek strayed inwards, his thumb brushing over Varia’s bottom lip, freeing Maddox’s eyes to find Varia’s again. He shouldn’t be surprised that he wanted the man again, but he did, as much to comfort him as to feel his body.

Varia was watching him, his focus returned, the intensity of the ice in his gaze chilling Maddox to his core. Plump lips parted for Maddox’s thumb, before he slowly kissed it. As the other’s mouth parted for his finger and then kissed it, Maddox felt himself instantly grow hard. 

_Who knew Varia could act this sexy._

Varia’s hand ghosted across his arm, moving over the hand Maddox had cupped on his cheek. His fingers pushed their way between his. Maddox wasn’t sure at what point Varia became adorable to him. It seemed that it happened suddenly that he went from thinking the other a brooding hobgoblin to endearing, just short. It had certainly been a sudden change that murderous intent had changed to sexual appetite, and one was as addictive as the other. He found himself wanting to be inside the other and touch him just as much as he had wanted to spear Varia through with a sword just a month before. How quickly one’s perspective changed when you knew just a little more and had different motives. His hand reflexively closed around Varia’s, his eyes inviting the other to embark once more. 

“I don’t want to forget the dream. I don’t want it to be over.” Varia whispered suddenly, his hand lifting from Maddox’s chest to brush against his cheek instead. “I refuse to let it be over.”

Maddox’s lips turned up in a smile that was both pleased and nervous. He said nothing in reply, unable to form words that would have meaning to the other. Instead he closed the distance between their lips, choosing to express his agreement that way. 

Unlike the night before where he put Varia on his back to save his leg, the other was showing no pain in their current position. So Maddox allowed the other to stay, feeling that it was better for Varia to feel in some kind of control. One hand slid under Varia’s shirt, tracing his spine but not removing the material. His erection was nestled under Varia at just the right spot to be suggestive. 

Though Varia had expressed desire for the dream to continue and had definitely turned Maddox on, he was unsure whether Varia’s desire was the same as the night before or something just short. His lips left Varia’s and traveled down his neck, more careful not to leave marks but fully intent on giving pleasure. The hand trailing Varia’s spine slid back around front, lifting Varia’s shirt to give Maddox access to the other’s nipples which he licked and sucked, one at a time. 

Varia’s erection began to press against Maddox’s stomach, his hands brushing through Maddox’s hair, pushing it back. His back arched under Maddox’s own hands, his ass rolling back and down, rubbing against Maddox’s covered erection. 

Varia’s hands were suddenly beneath Maddox’s shirt, pulling it up and over his head and throwing it aside. Varia seemed much more eager this day, his lips exploring more. They traced along his collarbone, his shoulders and then again to his neck. They lingered there, teeth grazing against the tender flesh, tongue calming the reddening marks he left behind. 

Thoughts and concerns Maddox perhaps had about keeping his body hidden were forgotten once more as Varia’s flesh met his, warm and yielding. Maddox moaned softly against Varia’s flesh as he shifted over him, brushing against his erection and running his hands through his hair. Small Arcturian curses left him as Varia bit into his skin, returning the favor along Varia’s collarbone. Maddox’s hands undid and pushed Varia’s pants off of his ass. His hand slipped between the other’s cheeks, a finger gently rubbing against Varia’s heat. He felt his cock twitch in anticipation, desperate to feel him. He inserted a finger slowly, probing for the knot of nerves that would stoke the other’s lust even more.

Varia’s hands suddenly dropped to Maddox’s pants, pulling the ties holding them in place and exposing his cock to the warmth of Varia’s hand. Another curse left Maddox’s lips, his eyes closing as he pushed his face into the crook of Varia’s neck, inhaling deeply. He felt Varia’s lips pull back in a cocky smirk against his own neck. In retaliation, one hand closed over Varia’s cock while the other continued to stroke inside of the other.

Because it was day time, Maddox did not take nearly as much time touching and preparing Varia as he would have had it been night. After all, they had no idea if or when someone may come to check on them for one reason or another. So rather than delay, he helped Varia push his down his pants, sliding Varia upwards so that his cock was positioned between the other’s cheeks. 

Maddox pushed forward, pressing his lips against Varia’s deeply. With a careful, slow motion, Maddox slowly impaled Varia on his cock. Varia’s hands gripped Maddox’s shoulders, his legs spreading around Maddox’s hips. A deep moan bubbled from his throat, breaking their kiss and pushing his face against Maddox’s shoulder. His ass clenched against the pain, the muscles in his sides and back quivering.

Maddox allowed Varia’s body to take him in at its own pace. There hadn’t been anything for Maddox to use as lubricant, nor was there sufficient time to prepare the other. He slid in to the hilt, his hands and lips kissing and stroking apologizes over the other’s body.

They sat there for a moment, Maddox’s cock filling and stretching Varia, throbbing inside of him with anticipation. Varia gave himself adequate time, before finally he slowly lifted himself with his thighs, sliding up on Maddox’s cock, before lowering himself. 

Maddox’s hands found Varia’s hips, keeping him steady and guiding his motions as well as providing something else for Maddox to focus on besides the soft pressure all around his cock. Varia’s strokes became faster, rougher, riding Maddox as if he were born to do it. One of Varia’s hands slipped from Maddox’s shoulder and tangled in his hair instead, his lips beginning to gently bite and kiss at Maddox’s shoulder and neck once again.

Maddox’s hands squeezed the taut flesh of Varia’s ass, pulling his cheeks apart as Varia picked his pace up. One hand broke away to stroke Varia’s cock, his thumb slowly brushing over his slit and stroked down his length.

Maddox loved the hands in his hair, the shifting and pulling allowing cool air to hit his scalp and send shivers down his spine. His lips found Varia’s, nipping at his bottom lip, before Varia pulled back to look at him, an arrogant smirk appearing on his lips as a moan left Maddox. Maddox growled at the smirk, before Varia claimed his lips again. He smacked Varia’s ass softly. 

“Arrogant bastard.” Though an insult, it was said with a measure of affection and another stifled moan as Varia’s body closed around him, bringing Maddox nearer to climax. He didn’t slow himself though, didn’t try to drag it out, not this time. His feet braced against the bed, beginning to thrust his hips upwards to match Varia’s strokes. Their strokes quickened, became harder, desperation taking both of them. He was still afraid of being caught in the act, therefore he wouldn’t attempt to stop himself from filling Varia with his seed. He was also no longer convinced that this would be the last time they would be together like this. There was no need to savor it as if it were the last, though a part of him did and wanted to give as much pleasure as possible because of it.

Maddox burst moments later, his face burying in Varia’s neck, his hand on Varia’s cock stuttering in their motion, though still determined to bring the other over the edge with him. He continued his thrusts, pushing his seed deeper into the commander. He was rewarded, a warm wetness spreading over his fingers as Varia shuddered over him.

A deep breath left Varia’s lips, before he slowly pulled back from where he had pressed into Maddox’s shoulder, gazing down at him. Maddox stared up at him, slowly lifting a hand and pushing long raven strands from where they stuck to Varia’s forehead. Varia’s gaze softened on Maddox at the gesture, before he leaned forward, kissing Maddox softly. Maddox returned the kiss, perhaps too eagerly. They remained like that for a bit longer, before Varia slowly pulled back. A sigh left his lips, a small hand leaving Maddox and instead pressing against his own forehead. Varia slowly shifted off of Maddox, allowing his cock to leave the tightness of his body. 

He wiggled back into his pants properly, before flopping down on the bed next to Maddox, a heavy sigh leaving his lips. “I’m sorry I tried to murder you.” Varia grumbled, his eyes closed tightly. 

Maddox grabbed the small cloth from the side table and wiped his hands and body as Varia lay next to him. A hearty laugh left him at Varia’s apology, having not expected it in the first place, especially after he was just inside of the man. 

“Which time are we talking about? Surely you aren’t apologizing for your entire military career.” Maddox quipped, finding the entire apology unnecessary. “You’ll try again, I’m sure. I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.” Maddox added as he pulled his shirt back over his head and fixed his own pants up. He ran a hand through his hair to bring back some semblance of order. 

Varia snorted through his nose, cracking his eyes to scowl at Maddox. “Despite how this turned out, you should not have followed me.” He murmured.

Maddox raised an eyebrow at that, turning his body to face Varia from where he sat on the edge of the bed. He flashed Varia an amused smirk. “Varia, I’ve been chasing after you for the last fifteen years. Why would you think that I would stop just because of a change in circumstances?” 

Truly, following Varia had been as much out of habit as concern. For over a decade Maddox’s primary concern was finding out where Varia was, what he was doing, and stopping him. Now that Varia was supposedly their ally, his job had been to keep an eye on the other to make sure he didn’t reconsider and switch sides once more.

He didn’t know **HOW** to ignore Varia, even if he wanted to. So whether it was chasing after the other to stop a military attack, or because he was having a mental and emotional breakdown, it was second nature to Maddox.

“Enemy or ally, you are stuck with me hounded in your footstep, a shadow you can’t quite manipulate or control. Might as well get used to it, short stuff.” Maddox said, ignoring the glare that he was met with as he took a cheap shot at Varia’s height.

Maddox’s stomach rumbled and he recalled that they had not yet had breakfast. The both of them had expended quite a bit of energy, and he was starving. Maddox rose to his feet, holding a hand out for Varia to take. Once he did, he pulled him from the bed and to his feet.

“Let’s see if our hosts fancy feeding us.” He said, moving towards the door. However, before he got there he doubled over and crumpled to the floor.

An ear splitting keening was in his head, echoing throughout the entire forest. Cithrel was screaming in Maddox’s head, a combination of the sound audible to everyone and Cithrel’s own whispering. The tree-house shuddered, the branches above trembling. The guards burst into the door, clearly expecting the source of the problem to be coming from something Varia and Maddox were getting up too. But it was not coming from within the village. Somewhere, someone was using blood magic to cut down a tree. The sound was more a feeling than one he could hear clearly. It felt apprehensive, angry, sad, scared, urgent. 

It was strong magic too, had to be in order to be cast in the Graves or to affect them from without. Maddox gasped, lowering his hands from his head, before he looked to Varia who stood beside him. He was worried the keening would set off Varia, happening so soon after an episode. But instead of looking at him, or looking distressed, Varia’s eyes were cast to the side, staring at the wall near them. Maddox turned his eyes to follow Varia’s gaze and felt his chest tighten. 

The shadows splashed across the wall were twitching and shifting, curling towards Varia, reaching for him. Maddox didn’t know if Varia was doing that, or some other force. Either option could be bad. Varia had been complacent for the most part since they had arrived, and Maddox truly felt that it was due to the lack of his powers while there.

Maddox didn’t have time to dwell on that, however, the keening and pain ripping through his skull again. Maddox gasped, his eyes closing once more. He heard Brom, heard Sabre enter. He felt Varia’s hand move to his back, before slipping away. He could faintly hear them speaking in the distance, but it was muffled. His eyes watered from the wailing, consuming his senses. If he hadn’t known better, he would say that it was he that was being cut down, not a tree leagues away. 

But more than the wailing, which was taken up by the elves in the village and across the forest, Maddox was downed by the reverberation of something darker growling through his bones. 

_Like calls to like. Blood to Blood._

The trees of the Graves were not easily felled, neither by purposeful means or by acts of nature. There was blood magic at work and the Graves knew. Maddox knew. The sympathetic harmony Cithrel had with the Graves meant that the recognition that they felt was also felt by the sword. 

Someone crouched near Maddox, asking how to help. At least he thought that what was being said. Rather than fight, Maddox pointed to his sword. The hilt pressed into his hand and the wailing immediately began to ease. Maddox could breathe easier, and he could focus his eyes at least. Sabre and Brom were there, Daylor and other elves. Varia was not anywhere in sight, and Maddox wondered if Varia had left to escape him. But Brom remained, and if Brom remained, then Varia would return.

Maddox groaned, rising to shaky legs and stumbling to the shelves where he took several of the herbs the elves had left them, shoving them into his mouth. The bitter flavor hit his tongue and made him scrunch his nose in disgust, but it drowned out everything else. 

The wailing was now a distant whimper, the thrumming of dark power a faint feeling of unease. Maddox leaned against the shelf, sword propped against his shoulder. 

“Are you alright?” Came Broms voice. Maddox lifted his head, turning it back to look to his companions.

“I’m fine. Are the elves going into the forest?” Maddox replied to Brom. 

“Bullshit you are. They said something about blood magic in the Graves. I thought that sort of magic couldn’t penetrate.” Brom’s tone was accusing, as if Maddox had lied to them and led them into a false sense of security. 

“It can’t. Someone must have cast something just inside the Graves. More than likely an elf of a less peaceable nature. I don’t think it’s to do with us.” Maddox assured them, though it was doubtful they were convinced. 

“So you’re saying it’s coincidence that we get chased here by blood magic and then someone is casting it in the Graves? I’m not buying it.” Maddox shrugged his shoulders at his brother, earning him an annoyed curse. “There’s no benefit to targeting us here. And we weren’t targeted by the Blood Beasts, we just got too close. It’s unlikely anyone even knows it’s us here in the first place. Whoever cast the blood magic wasn’t after us. If they were they certainly wouldn’t have used it to cut down one of the trees. There are other wars and conflicts besides the one between Arcturus and Er Rai.” 

Sabre sighed as Maddox spoke, moving to sit down in one of the chairs in the house. "No one even knows we're alive. We were behind nearly a full day from reaching Emeriss, so it's likely we were thought to have died in the blast. Whoever is attacking the Graves is not doing so for us." He muttered, watching Maddox with concern etched on his face. Maddox was thankful for his friend and his voice of reason, though Sabre seemed more annoyed with him as of late.

Varia was escorted back into the room then, the elven guards on his tail. He looked less than pleased, though that was normal for him. He shot a glare back to the guard who had escorted him back, prompting the man to leave quietly, before he flopped back to the bed.

“They seem concerned, though not as concerned as you lot seem. The elder will arrive tomorrow at dawn. It seems they want us out of here as quickly as possible.” Varia murmured, shooting a glance to Maddox. “They are in no need help, or at least they don’t desire it from us.”

Sabre snorted, the reason in his voice lost the moment Varia moved in. “You mean they don’t want to unleash a demon in the Graves? How strange. You do such good for everyone else who crosses your path. Shame they won’t utilize your kindness.” Sabre drawled, leaning his head back to peer up at the ceiling rather than Varia.

Varia shot a seething glare at Sabre, a huff leaving him at the mans words. "I hardly remember your name. If you're concerned with how I do things, perhaps you should considering being more useful. What do you bring to the table?" He shot back, though his words were less angry than they normally were. 

"If by more useful you mean more prone to demon possession, then I'll pass." Sabre replied, before huffing as well. "In any case, we should get this over with. The peace is nice, but the last thing we need is Varia to massacre a bunch of elves." 

Maddox listened but didn’t speak as the two spat obscenities at each other. His head was throbbing with a migraine and he felt ill from the leaves he had ingested. It didn’t help that breakfast was still not forthcoming, and he mentioned such to the elven guard before the other left. The other two had fallen into a tense silence, which he was thankful for. He waited until something was brought before saying anything, chewing on some sweetened bread with raisins.

“Whatever is happening in the Graves is not our concern, neither are the elves. I’m sure Daylor will be more than happy to blame us, but as Sabre said, no one knows we are alive so it’s unlikely they are trying to kill us. That being said, if someone is bold enough to use blood magic in the Graves then there is a dispute among the elves that we don’t want to get involved in. We should make ourselves scarce as soon as possible...which may still not be for a few days.” Maddox spoke between bites.

“Are you sure this is our best option? If the elves are waging their own war, as you said, it’s best we steer clear. There has to be someone else that can help us with Varia.” Brom pressed.

“Even if that was true, and we had any better relationship with them, I still need a new scabbard for my sword.” Brom made a noise of annoyance. “We can get you a scabbard in any number of cities or villages. That’s not a reason to stay.” Brom argued, but Maddox shook his head. “An elven blade needs an elven scabbard, and this blade needs a particular one.” 

“Maddox, there is a blacksmith in the city below us. How long can it really take for them to make what you need? Why are you stalling us here?” Brom was agitated but also suspicious. It was normal, Maddox reckoned. He was concerned for Varia.

“I’m not stalling, Brom. I’m not very keen on sticking around longer than necessary. The ones that make the scabbard I need are already on it and hopefully will have it back to me in a few days. The Elders are already on their way and this is the best option. If you can pose a reasonable alternative I’m all ears. But it doesn’t make sense for us to spook over every little thing and screw ourselves over in the long run.” 

Brom gave a curse in Arcturian and moodily flung himself against the wall, arms folded. “This better not have anything to do with you sleeping with Varia.” Brom said in their native dialect, eyes glaring dagger at his brother. Maddox held his heart as if stung. “Nice to know you think so little of me. I would not jeopardize your life for a piece of ass. Not even Varia’s well toned one. Relax, Brom. He’s not a naive maiden I’ve taken advantage of.” Maddox was thankful that Brom chose to speak to Maddox in the language, since speaking about how well molded Varia’s body was in a language everyone there knew was likely not something Varia would appreciate.

The jesting was cut short as Daylor appeared in the doorway, eyes narrowed and body rigid in anger. “What have you to do with this?” Daylor hissed in elvish to Maddox, who ignored his hostile stance and picked at a piece of fruit. “We have nothing to do with this, Daylor. No one knows we’re alive.” Maddox replied in the common tongue.

Daylor was unconvinced. “You expect me to believe that you being chased here by blood magic has nothing to do with it being cast in our midst?” His tone was incredulous, the hand on his sword tightening. 

“I don’t expect anything from you, Daylor. But it is the truth nonetheless. The first was accidental and incidental and the second a coincidence. Do you expect me to believe the elves don’t have enemies among themselves capable of doing this?” 

Daylor seemed to seethe at that, his eyes darkening. His eyes cast to Maddox’s sword and back at the man, switching back to elvish. “No one of our kin would cast such forbidden and abominable magic except at your behest, death walker.” Maddox raised a brow and gave a simple smile. “Are you sure about that?” 

Varia sat on the bed, shifting uncomfortably at the tension in the room. Brom also remained quiet. But Sabre, bless him, did not.

"The blood beasts from before weren't aimed specifically at us. As Maddox said, it was a coincidence they had begun chasing us. Whatever is happening out there has nothing to do with us, despite the company we keep." Sabre said, shooting a glare to Varia, being met with one in return.

"Having faith in your kind is admirable, but evil lives in all races. If another elf wanted to do harm to the forest, tradition and belief wouldn’t stop him." Varia said, his eyes focused on Daylor, likely attempting to take the attention off of himself once more. Varia’s gaze was bright and focused, leveled on Daylor. He was clearly anticipating a fight, something Maddox was trying to avoid.

Sabre glanced to Varia as he spoke, before looking back to Daylor. "Little psycho is right, despite him being an evil little shit himself. It's likely it's another elf. None of our enemies know of our survival, so it's unlikely we’re the target." 

Daylor wasn’t going to take their word on it, Maddox knew. He had already made up his mind about things and would not be swayed, least of all by Maddox’s companions. Lucky for them, Daylor’s opinion of the matter was not the one that held sway. 

“Whatever you believe, Daylor, the fact remains that if you want me gone you’ll have to hurry along the Elders and the Walkers. You can’t kick us out until then.” Daylor glared at Maddox a moment longer, looking between him and his sword. It was clear he was debating something, that some kind of bluff had been issued by Maddox that the elven guard was debating calling.

“You are a liar.” Daylor hissed but Maddox cut him off with a dark look, his hands slipping down the sword to one of the ties holding the wrapping on it. “Would you like to find out? Shall I put everyone at risk to satisfy your mistrustful heart? How much of the old stories do you know, Daylor? How long have you conversed with the Walkers?” Maddox flipped his grip on the sword and held it out, point first to Daylor. “If you think I am lying, Daylor, prove it. Go ahead. I dare you.”

One tie was near the tip, within Daylor’s reach if he so chose. He glared at it as if doing so would undo it for him, or allow him to see the truth. “Your guard will be tripled. There will be no mercy for deceit.” Daylor said after a moment and turned on his heel, slamming the door shut. Maddox lowered his sword, leaning it back against his shoulder. “You two should probably get back to your hut and stay out of trouble until it’s time to go. Rest up and enjoy the tense reprieve before it gets violent.”

Varia leaned back against the bed on his arms the moment Daylor left, visibly relaxing. Sabre and Brom didn’t need to be asked twice to relax away from the others, and Sabre rose to his feet, stretching his arms above his head.

“I always thought your connection with the elves was… different.” He spoke with a chuckle, all indication of animosity gone once more. “Thought you perhaps had an elven lover, but I see that they dislike you more than the rest of the world.” He spoke, patting Maddox’s shoulder before he gestured to Brom, who looked as if he had something to spit out to his brother.

“Shall we? I’m sure your brother and his pet demon would like to spend the rest of their day wrapped in the arms of perversion, and we’re just in the way.” Sabre took a cheap shot then, one that Maddox didn’t have the energy to snap back at. Not after dealing with Daylor and Cithrel. He would comment to the other later, set him straight, but for now he let Sabre poke fun all he wanted. He knew the other was unsettled, was uncomfortable to say the least with these new developments. It said a lot that Sabre was still joking about it, however harshly, and still trusting him. A trust that was probably wearing thin, but which hopefully would last a bit longer. There was much that Maddox had to say to Sabre without the other two, but not among the elves whose hearing was much too good to hold secret conversations in their midst. 

Varia rolled his eyes as the others left them alone once more, flopping down onto his back to stare at the ceiling. The two sat in silence for a moment, before Varia sighed heavily.

“Are you alright?” He asked Maddox, though the words seemed strange on his tongue. 

At Varia’s question Maddox snorted, putting his weight on his sword as he got to his feet and moved towards the bed. He pushed Varia over so that he could lay down, hugging his sword to his chest with a groan. “Ah, now you care. And here I thought you were disappointed that I hadn't keeled over and died. Run to get help did you?” 

Maddox wasn’t really that angry that Varia had disappeared. It wasn’t much the other could have done and he wasn’t sure how he would have taken a panicked Varia in any case. Also given that Varia’s powers seemed to have come back to him a little during this whole thing, Maddox was more surprised Varia hadn’t tried to kill him. Part of him, at least, believed that Varia was only being amicable because he had no choice and no powers to act as he pleased.

Varia grunted as Maddox pushed him over, rag dolling against his arm and remaining where he had rolled. He shifted onto his stomach, folding his arms beneath his head to watch the Captain beside him. "I left because you were useless. I don’t know the elves and their strength, but I know mine. If there was to be a battle, someone would have to protect your worthless ass." His words were harsh, though noticeably less harsh than the things he normally spat at Maddox, but his tone was soft and even. It still held a sharpness to it, but it wasn’t dripping with malice when he spoke to Maddox, not anymore. 

Maddox grunted in amusement at Varia’s excuse. 

_Protect me? Varia? As if._

But it was a nice excuse so Maddox allowed it. Perhaps it was true in some way. After all, Maddox would be pissed if someone else killed Varia, so maybe Varia had indeed sought to protect Maddox from whatever was coming, if only so that he could land the killing blow himself later. 

"If the elves chose to kill me instead, what will you do? What will happen to your plan? I don’t suppose I'm the only person you could use, perhaps it would be best to find another." Varia spoke, sighing softly as he peered at Maddox from under the wild mane he sported.

Maddox gave a groan at Varia’s questions, rolling onto his stomach and sword, face buried in the pillow for a moment before turning toward Varia. “They can’t kill you, not while I’m here anyway. They’d have to kill me as well and they wouldn’t dare. At this point, with the bombing of Emeriss, it probably wouldn’t work without you. With my allies crippled and uncertain, and being terrible at subterfuge, you are the best bet. Getting cold feet? Feeling uneasy about going against your maker?” Maddox joked, releasing another groan into the pillows as his stomach rolled and head throbbed. With his shifting and rolling the back of his shirt had rolled up to show the tip of the tattoo on his back. “Don’t worry. I have no plans to throw you away just yet. This level of animosity is nothing.”

"So I'm your only hope then. Without me, your plan could likely fail. I wont forget that." Varia replied with humor in his voice, before his eyes shifted downwards. It was a welcomed change to the normal emotionless hostility. Charming, in a strange way. This Varia was so different than the one Maddox had spent the last decade fighting. 

Maddox smirked at the thought, his eyes closing as he listened to Varia breathe next to him. If Maddox had known what would come next, he would have made sure to keep his cards hidden. But Varia was observant, far more observant than Maddox would have wished him to be.

“I don’t suppose my purpose has anything to do with re-establishing the Aesir reign. Not that I would expect truth from you if it was.”

Maddox didn’t mean to react the way he did, and surely doing so tipped his hand quite a bit. But his mind was stressed and he was already on edge, so there was no way he would have not reacted in some form. His hand shot out and covered Varia’s mouth, the face turned towards the other set in hard and cold lines, though the voice remained at odds. When he spoke his voice was light and amused, as if responding to a joke. 

“What nonsense are you talking about? The last of those died out, what? Two, three decades ago? Even if we’re trying to dispose of the Council, reinstating a corrupt regime doesn’t help us any. I already told you, my job, meaning your job, is to topple the current status quo. What goes up in its place is another cell’s mission.” The grip on Varia’s face was strong enough to bring it close to Maddox’s mouth where the captain switched to Arcturian and dropped his voice to barely a whisper. “Whatever you think you’ve gleaned, keep your mouth shut. To Brom, Sabre, everyone.” 

“I’m sure Er Rai intended to expand, set one of their own on the icy throne. But with the bombing, who knows if that’s even viable.” Maddox continued in a normal voice, releasing Varia and sitting up again, the shirt falling over the mark on his back. 

It was several decades since the last bit of fighting finally died out, the last of the Aesir lineage perishing in the great cleansing. The council was terrible, a totalitarian government uninterested in the well-being of their people. Any interest that they had in their people was only creating complete subservience to Arcturus and the council. No one alive now remembered how the Aesir’s were during their reign. All mention of the old monarchy had been wiped clean from the pages of history in Arcturus. The statues had been toppled, replaced with war heroes and council members. 

Despite Arcturus' recent conquests and gains, the dictatorship was still new, relatively speaking. The country struggled greatly under the Councils reign, and it had been suggested the war was brought upon by their need to survive the harsh colds. There was wide spread famine when Maddox and Varia were young, one Arcturus was still recovering from to this very day. Nihal had ceased all trade with the increasingly hostile country, which had triggered Arcturus to dispatch troops in the desert. The thought that Nihal and Er Rai would seek so desperately to change Arcturus that they would let its people starve was a huge driving force in rallying the people behind the efforts. 

As far as the world knew, or anyone remembered, the Aesir monarchy had been even more tyrannical than the current Council. It had oppressed its people, bringing them to near ruin. Indeed, the last king of that monarchy had been such, but he had also been a puppet for the current Council. The prosperity and good the clan had brought prior was erased with the books of Arcturus, the minds of the people washed into thinking what they had now was the best they could have. 

But it was a carefully constructed lie to cover the proof against which had almost been lost. Varia surely know nothing of which he spoke and speaking too loudly of it around others would bring more ruin than he knew. Because the only ones that had claim to the Arcturian throne were the Aesirs and Arcturus still believed in its birthrights.

Concerning enough, Varia didn’t seem surprised at the way Maddox reacted. His eyes narrowed, but he maintained a composure that Maddox never knew he had. Varia lay in silence for a moment after he was released, his eyes burning into Maddox’s back. Maddox didn’t turn to look at him, for fear of what his expression may tell.

He felt Varia shift on the bed, before feeling small hands run up his arms, pulling him back to lay. Varia shifted over him, leaning down to press his lips against Maddox’s jaw. If this was an attempt to make Maddox forget what Varia may have found out, it had a good chance of working.

“It will be difficult to convince my people to back either. It will be difficult to convince me to back either, but that is a problem for another day.” Varia whispered against Maddox’s jaw.

“Do not think your cock is so magical that it has struck me blind.” Varia whispered in Arcturian as he pulled his head back, folding his arms over Maddox’s chest and resting his chin against them. “The peace we’ve found here will not last forever, and soon you’ll have to answer questions you may not want to. I will not blindly fight for you, I will not be your weapon to use, no matter how badly you desire me to be. This is an alliance. Treat it as such, and I will bring you Arcturus.”

Internally Maddox was still panicked just a bit. Though it didn’t seem that Varia was reacting adversely, it had still not been the plan for Varia to know anything about the plot to restore the Aesir clan to the throne. But even if he was panicked, that resulted in a cold and calculating Maddox and the internal him had pulled back from Varia, poised, wary, waiting. Now that someone else had voiced it aloud, had noticed, it put everything in jeopardy. Very, very few knew of the plan. He had not even told Brom or Sabre about it, nor did anyone in his cell know of his ulterior motives and plans. One of the elders that was meeting them knew of it and had likely told those among the elves that needed to know. The queen of Nihal knew as did a chaplain in Er Rai, but only because both harbored others of the line, further removed than the heir. 

Who the heir was Maddox had kept a close secret, telling no one and letting all come to their own conclusions. All the others knew was that the heir lived and was protected. That was all anyone needed to know until the current government of Arcturus fell and the land was open and vulnerable. A key to getting it that way was Varia, for he commanded the loyalty and thus swords of much of the military. Maddox needed the other on his side if he was to put the heir back on the throne and if Varia knew that plan and at any point rejected it or Maddox, he could tip the hand and bring it all to ruin. 

But killing him wasn’t an option, for without Varia there was no easy way to unite the military and bring the land to heel. So far, though, it seemed Varia was not inclined to dismiss Maddox and his plans out of hand. 

At Varia’s words Maddox’s eyes shifted, became considering rather than cold. He did not shift from Varia’s lips, merely allowed the other to do as he wished as he considered the meaning of Varia’s words. An Alliance. 

“In alliances both parties make plain what they want and are willing to give. I have told you what I desire, and what I can give, if there is more that you wish you will have to speak plainly.” Maddox said softly in the same language, his free hand threading through Varia’s hair, fisting it and bringing the other’s lips to his before relaxing his hold. 

Maddox understood Varia’s hesitation and wariness. While Maddox could gain everything he desired from Varia, there was little to assure the other that once it was done he would receive the promised compensation. Maddox was helping him with the demon problem now, and they were fucking, but both of those served Maddox as well. At the same point, even if Maddox used Varia to quell the rebels in Arcturus, if Maddox didn’t hold up his end of the bargain Varia only had to say a word before the military would flock to his side. 

“Besides, I think I’m getting the short end of the stick. You offer me Arcturus in exchange for the world, it is not you that should be worried.” Maddox teased as Varia allowed his head to move back to where it rested on Maddox’s chest.

At that, however, Varia’s gaze grew colder, that same distrust Maddox knew too well flashing across his face. 

"You say you're delivering me the world, but you know I'm delivering you far more than just an icy wasteland. I'll get freedom in death from you, that much I'm certain of. Once you're finished using me, I do not want to be used any longer. That is what I want, and if that means death, then so be it. Death is freedom, death is mercy, and I'm content with that." Varia muttered.

_Death again. Varia is such a morose and cynical little person._

Maddox understood, at least. Maddox was in a position only Arcturus had been in before, though their relationship had proved to be much more intimate lately. Arcturus had molded Varia, used him his entire life, gave him a purpose, and they absolutely relied on him. Yet they had deemed him too strong, too much of everything they were, and they had cast him aside and attempted to erase him from the world. It was a natural response to not trust Maddox to deliver on his promises. 

Maddox sighed and didn’t seek to argue with the other over it again, for his words would fall on deaf ears. It wasn’t as if Maddox knew what would happen once this was all through, if he would even be able to deliver Varia anything besides torment and death. He hoped that wasn’t their future.

A sigh left Varia lips as he shifted to sit up off of Maddox. He leant down, brushing his lips against Maddox's softly, before he rolled off of the bed. "If I think of anything you could give me, I'll let you know. For now, I'm content with being free, through death or not." He said, moving across the small room, crouching near the book shelf. He returned a moment later with a book, one written in the common tongue, sitting next to Maddox and flipping it open. Maddox pulled the other within reach of his arms, wrapping around Varia’s waist, his sword sandwiched between them.

The other said he was fine with death, but Maddox felt that there were many other things the other would want instead. Books, were a good start, for clearly the other hadn’t been lying about being able to read. While he surely didn’t know a wide range of languages, Maddox was sure he could find a good few books in Arcturian.

Maddox let the other read in peace while he snuggled into the other’s side and fell into a doze. The rest of the day went by with only the barest hints of tension still in the air. The extra guard remained, but they received no more visitors save those bringing food at the various hours. In the afternoon Maddox taught Varia a few more tricks he had learned to keep calm and control the demon. At some point they fell into bed together again, likely due to the lack of much else to entertain them. 

When the guard came to bring them dinner, Maddox addressed him in politely concerned elvish. “Have all the others come back safely? Was whatever hurt the Ancient one captured?” Maddox asked the man who startled, clearly not told that Maddox understood or spoke their language. 

The fact seemed to soften him a bit, especially as Maddox asked after the welfare of others. “The party returned safely. It seems that it may have been dark elves from near the mountains. The party was unable to speak to a leader...but there was something strange…” The elf cut off as another called to him sharply, beckoning him away.

Maddox considered the other’s words. It confirmed that it was not an enemy after them, which was good and likely to annoy Daylor. But between dark and light elves, the former were less likely to harm the Graves. It was exceedingly strange and Maddox got the feeling that the elf had been about to say more before he was stopped. Perhaps answers would be forthcoming tomorrow at their meeting with the elders. Maddox filled Varia in on the news and they waited for the next day and the Elders. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The elders finally arrive. Their coming brings more questions to the lips of Sabre and Brom. Varia is given a task, and Maddox is left to reflect on his purpose.

\- Maddox -

The elders arrived in the early morning, but Maddox and the others were not given an audience until after the midday meal. The group was taken from their temporary homes and brought to a large hall, built high in the trees in the middle of the town. The middle of the hall was opened to the bright blue sky above, vines twisted up the trunks of the trees the hall was built in. Guards posted along the edges of the room, small scones on the walls glowing soft blue, and through the light of the sky Maddox noted that there were other high-ranked elves in attendance with the Elders.

Elder Zeale sat directly in the middle, head held high, looking as haughty and arrogant as the bitch was. That self-importance slipped a bit when Maddox entered behind the others, clear blue eyes flashing to the sword at his hip that no one dared take from him. He saw the edges of her eyes tighten and the barest downturn of her lips. 

Elder Viansola sat to Zeale’s right, poised and dignified and yet kind, as if the entire situation amused her. She inclined her head towards Maddox in greeting as he caught her eye, a long golden braid sliding over bare shoulders. Maddox caught her eye for a brief moment, before her attention swept the rest of the group and landed on Varia. 

Maddox knelt and placed his sword beside him on his right and pressed his hands and forehead to the dirt before the Elders. “Well met and good health, Elder Zeale, Elder Viansola.” Maddox said in polite Elvish and also repeating in the common tongue for his companion’s benefit. “Good health indeed, Maddox. You are looking better than expected.” Viansola said, her tone holding an inner joke, though her eyes only shifted from Varia briefly.

Maddox turned his gaze to the side, allowing them to fall on Varia. He was clearly uncomfortable. His arms were folded tightly against his chest, his eyes focused and wide as he considered the guards and the elders. Viansola’s eyes were locked on Varia, and Varia took notice soon enough and held her gaze. His brow twitched, and Maddox wished he knew what Varia was thinking just then.

Maddox’s attention was drawn from Varia as Zeale clicked her tongue in annoyance, less than pleased with Maddox and his companions. “Surely you didn’t come all this way to grovel for the demon, tainted one. What is it you’ve returned for?” Her words were biting, a deep anger underlying her words. “You never should have returned here, especially dragging another hell stricken man.” Zeale continued, her eyes turning towards Viansola at her side. “His presence here is a plague, both of them are. If that demon escapes that tiny man, it will consume us. Condemn them and be done with it, Viansola.” 

“He comes here toting our brother as if he is some mighty weapon to bring us to heel. He brings a demon into our home. How much longer will you allow him to offend us by allowing him to live?” 

_She certainly wastes no time in advocating for my death._

Maddox felt Sabre and Broms eyes on him, and he felt the slightest twitch in Varia as the other listened. They wouldn’t understand her words, but her biting tone and aggressive movements would be clear enough to them. This happened often however, and it never worked. To fuel her anger, Maddox kept the pleasant look on his face, though his eyes hardened. What she said did not bother him, but he felt the slight shift of Varia’s feet. He was preparing for an attack, and Maddox couldn’t blame him for that.

He kept his eyes on Zeale since she was technically in charge, though his words and their politeness was directed more towards Viansola. “Surely you have heard news of the destruction of Emeriss?” Maddox knew they had heard but waited until they acknowledged it. “In the aftershocks, while protecting my comrades, the scabbard for Den-Cithrel was destroyed. As the Elder is aware, it is precarious and risky to allow him to continue is such a fashion. That is the primary reason for my visit.” 

Viansola glanced briefly at the bone-sword, her eyes growing sad a moment before her gaze flicked back towards Varia. “I was under the impression that the one behind you was an enemy. Yet I have been told you seek counsel for him. You realize it would be much simpler and better to put him to rest, as Elder Zeale suggests.” 

Her tone was one of suggestion but Maddox felt she was also of the mind that Varia was better off dead. She might be curious as to why Maddox decided otherwise, but she was at least in agreement with Zeale on that score. 

_Concerning_. 

“Respectfully, I think there is another option.” Maddox offered, holding his hands palm up before the Elders.

Viansola laughed as the others frowned. “Don’t you always. Out of respect we allowed your first request. Do not think we have such fondness for you that we will extend our assistance again.” Viansola warned. 

Maddox considered his next words carefully and switched to the common tongue for the benefit of the others. “I do not ask your assistance on a whim. It is to mutual benefit that the creature in Varia be sealed and the other given the means to train himself. The elves have been thus far protected by the Graves and by the countries surrounding it. With the capital fallen the enemies are emboldened and there is little to keep them at bay. If even other elves have taken to the Graves with forbidden magic, it is only a matter of time before Arcturus learns of it as well, and your neighbors no longer look kindly upon how you’ve avoided the wars thus far. If you need to be convinced the threat to you is real my brother can better explain, but it would be simpler to have Varia bring them to heel.”

Viansola shook her head in amusement, raising a brow. “And has the cursed one promised to do such a thing?” She asked in elvish. She turned her attention to Varia once more, her speech switching to perfect Arcturian. “And why would one given to death agree to such a thing? Surely a quiet death would be preferable to you than the agony of struggling, especially given your current state?” 

Varia clearly withdrew when he was addressed. For a commander who had very likely spent much of his life sitting on war councils and addressing leaders in almost the same sense, he seemed immensely uncomfortable. Perhaps because Varia was not the one in control in this instance. He was standing where many others had likely stood before him, begging for their own lives as he passed his own judgment. But despite what Maddox may or may not have noticed about their current situation, he had a much larger concern.

Maddox confessed he was curious how Varia would answer Viansola. So far Varia had only really expressed a desire to die on the ice as his one form of freedom. Here was Viansola, offering him that without any of the work Maddox would make him do for it. To be honest Maddox felt himself unsure, anxious that Varia might take her up on her offer.

His head turned, his eyes watching as Varia took a slow step forward to stand at his side. He shot Maddox a short glance, before he slowly bowed his chin towards Viansola. 

“I do not have time to die, nor do I wish to die just yet. I need to return to the ice and deliver a violent death to those who have wronged me. Once I get my revenge, I’ll accept whatever fate comes to me.” 

When Varia said he wanted revenge instead of death, Maddox was a little surprised. Of course Varia would want revenge, but that hadn’t been the primary subject of their conversations. Maddox should have been happy that Varia chose something, anything, over death but...Was it disappointment that he felt? It was something unpleasant, lurking at the edge of his awareness. There was something, some other answer he had wanted from Varia more, but what that was he couldn’t say.

"So we are being asked to let this demon continue to live on the off chance you can defeat Arcturus? I believe you will run back to your masters as soon as you possibly can, like the dog you are." Zeale spoke in Arcturian before Viansola had a chance to respond. 

Maddox felt his face twist into a scowl, but he felt the anger radiating off of Varia next to him. Varia’s gaze snapped to Zeale, his arms dropping from where they had crossed over his chest. He took a step forward, though if it was to attack Zeale or to merely remind them that he was not shackled was not clear.

Maddox shot a hand out, grabbing Varia’s wrist to stop whatever he may or may not have been planning. Stopping whatever violent thoughts Varia may have been having then was reflex by this point. Varia turned icy eyes over his shoulder, locking with Maddox’s for a brief moment, biting his tongue when Maddox shook his head briefly.

Zeale’s lips pulled back into a condescending smirk at that, her eyes shifting to Maddox. "You and the demon are tainting our lands with your presence, and your perversions. Perhaps he isn't Arcturus' dog any longer, perhaps he is yours." She addressed Maddox this time in Elvish, before turning back to Viansola. "My men have reported to me that this alliance is appearing to be more than that. The hero of Er Rai has been falling into bed with the Demon of Arcturus. Any attempt to save him is no doubt due to the tainted one wanting to keep himself satisfied. Once he has used up the Demon, he will surly cast him out. We should not risk such a thing." She spoke to Viansola, waving a dismissing hand towards Varia.

_I could let him go right now, and he would tear this place to the ground and you with it, you stuck up bitch._

It wasn’t so much that Zeale was flaunting him and Varia sleeping together, he had expected that. It was more that she was implying that he was willing to put everyone at risk for what amounted to little more than great sex. Sabre had said something similar and it had hurt then too.

_I shouldn’t be hurt nor find it surprising that they are taking it that way. It’s fine that they think that. It doesn’t matter what they think of me, as long as they do what I need them to do._

"Perhaps we can assist your people. Sending one of us to deal with whomever cut down the trees would save face. Varia isn't good for much, but he's good at killing. Same with Maddox. We can prove our good intent by offering you our help." Sabre suddenly spoke up from behind the others, his words aimed to Viansola. 

Luckily Sabre spoke up, offering a solution better suited to the situation than what Maddox had sitting on his tongue.

_This is why I drag Sabre around all the time. Fucking politics._

Viansola watched them carefully, noting the flare of indignation and anger in Maddox, the feelings of his comrades. A light touch on her elbow and she half turned to the Walker that sat behind her. She nodded once at her words before turning back to the group. “Now, now, Zeale, they are only human. Many a man has had his heart swayed by a warmed bed, and who is to say it is being swayed against us.” Viansola said in Elvish, still with too much amusement in her voice. “Besides, everything considered, I think their influence on each other is more beneficial than not. Even as one man his death could prevent hundreds, thousands of others if thrown against the ice kingdom. Let us not be too hasty to throw away gifts given freely.”

Viansola switched to the common tongue, considering Sabre’s proposal. “I think that is a great idea and convenient as well. The Arcturians can investigate the dark elves for us while Maddox and his friend can gather the provisions for the purification.” 

Maddox raised a brow. “Wouldn’t it make more sense if I went with Varia to speak with the elves?” He didn’t like this, and wasn’t sure what Viansola was thinking.

She shook her head. “You can’t always be there to tell him right from wrong, Maddox. He’s a grown man, I’m sure they will manage. Your brother’s elvish is passable enough.” Viansola said dismissively. 

“You are to find the reason why they have used forbidden magic in the Graves, and bring the culprit back here for justice if at all possible. A simple enough task I think. If he can make the right choices and avoid temptation, perhaps we can agree to aid you in this. Is this also agreeable to you, Zeale?” Viansola tilted her head towards the woman at her side.

Zeale leveled a cocky gaze onto Maddox and Varia, her lips twitching upwards into a smirk. "It is agreeable. Allow the demon and his keeper rest for now. Tomorrow they will go. If the demon returns, then we will attempt the ritual to purify him. If he does not return, then we are rid of him forever." 

Varia didn’t say anything for a while, his eyes leveled on the elven elders. It was almost concerning, and a small ball of guilt dropped into Maddox’s stomach. Did he not even trust Varia to know how to behave like a civilized person? He wasn’t any better than Zeale if that’s the case.

Varia’s eyes finally flickered back towards Maddox, before he pulled from his grip. Varia turned his head towards Brom, before back towards the elders. He lowered his head towards Viansola, acknowledging her rather than Zeale. “Very well. We’ll leave at dawn.” Zeale stood at his words, giving the group a brief nod, before she exited the room without another word.

Viansola folded her hands in her lap, her eyes crinkled in that forever smile as she studied the men standing before her. “I do apologize, my friends. I must speak with Maddox alone. Dinner will be in your rooms when you return.”

Maddox expected Viansola to pull him aside to speak with him. She was one of the few in the world who knew his secret. She was one of the few people in the world that he would mean it when he said he trusted her. He needed her advise on a multitude of things, Varia, his mission, his purpose. 

He gave the others a nod, catching the suspicious look Sabre shot his way, before he was left alone with Viansola. 

  
\- Sabre -

“Sabre, how much do you trust Maddox? I’m asking you honestly.” 

Sabre turned his gaze to Brom as the two moved back to their own temporary home. Varia was escorted to the edge of the village away from them. Brom had not spoke the entire meeting, and had kept his own counsel afterward. Brom was not much of a talker as it was, and what little conversation he did have with Sabre was usually brought about by Sabre’s vocal dislike for Varia.

Before Sabre had a chance to answer such a strange question, Brom continued. “I only got a gist of everything said. My elvish is rusty and more prone to understanding everyday language than the highbrow stuff Maddox likes to speak. What I understand is that the elves know about Maddox and Varia, and more than a few have concerns. There’s Varia’s history, and his current affliction, sure, but there’s something else regarding Maddox. In particular, there’s something that Viansola is concerned about. Something regarding Maddox’s sword for one, and something else, something secret.”

Brom turned his gaze towards Sabre, shutting the door to their treehouse behind him. “You should confirm with him his plans, his feelings. Something isn’t right here, something he isn’t telling us. If we continue to blindly trust him, I’m not so sure we will survive whatever the plan is. I’m not sure that our survival is even necessary.”

_I trust Maddox with my life._

That’s what Sabre wanted to declare. He did. He did trust Maddox with his life, but only because Maddox had proved time and time again that he needed Sabre alive and well. But for how long, that was in the air. Especially now that Maddox had gained the little psycho as an ally. 

_Everyone has their own agenda. This is nothing new._

Sabre has his own agenda, Brom has one. Varia has one, and Maddox has one. Perhaps Maddox’s was larger than the others, required more pawns, more death, but Sabre was confident in Maddox. His plan, whatever it may be, would only serve to better the world, and that’s all that mattered.

Still, Sabre understood the apprehension. He felt it too. He wasn’t sure what triggered it more, the elves, Varia’s clear effect on him, or the feelings Maddox clearly had. Maddox’s motives were one thing, Varia’s were another thing entirely. Sabre had known Maddox for a long time, long enough to know that no other being had every affected Maddox so. Whether or not Maddox or Varia themselves knew, Sabre could see the beginning of a vicious internal battle inside Maddox. Varia had caused a great deal of pain, but this would be different. This one scared Sabre.

“I will pick his brain. Despite my trust, I’m not sure what his plans are, or how any of us fit into them. Hopefully he will be more willing to speak without the demon nearby.” Sabre finally said, sitting on the bed and pulling his boots from his feet.

Brom watched Sabre, his impassive gaze not giving away any of his feelings. “Good.” He murmured.

Sabre eyed Brom hard, letting his boots drop to the floor loudly. “Though he is your brother. You subjected yourself to Arcturian abuse for his sake. The mission you’ve been undertaking for the past ten years certainly doesn’t convince me that you’re afraid of his intention.”

Brom sat near the small table in their room, glancing at Sabre and holding his gaze as he considered his words. 

“Every day that we spend here, I find that I know less and less about my brother. He half raised me, I’ve been fighting for him most of my life. I’m being called to question the blind loyalty I have for my brother. The loyalty Varia and Maddox both command is perhaps as dangerous as what Arcturus instills into its soldiers. I’m finding that I have an issue with Maddox sleeping with Varia, even if I’ll admit Maddox is doing a hell of a job keeping Varia distracted and calm.”

_He’s jealous. But not of the attention Varia’s getting from his brother, but because Varia’s been so focused on Maddox._

Sabre sighed, a wide and toothy grin pulling at his lips. “Well, that much I can agree with. I rather like having the Demon of Arcturus so calm and complacent.”

Brom snorted at that, shooting a scowl towards Sabre in response to his smirk. “He isn’t. He’s had much happen to him recently and he hasn’t had a moment to deal with it. He’s teetering on the edge, and the elves know that. They’re separating him from Maddox hoping that he fails.”

“You’ve kept the little psycho from doing much worse in the past, I’m sure. I wouldn’t be too concerned.” Sabre murmured, flopping back on the bed, kneading his knuckle between his eyebrows. 

“He wasn’t possessed by a demon then.” Brom responded, causing Sabre to snort out a sarcastic chuckle. “Says the man who didn’t have to find his friends and family torn to shreds. He may not have been a demon to you, but he’s earned his title to the people of Nihal.”

Brom grew quiet at that, allowing Sabre to finally allow himself to shut his mind off, ignoring the sounds of the forest. Eventually he found himself drifting into a dark and dreamless sleep.

\- Maddox -

  
Viansola kept Maddox back a moment so that they could speak alone. It took over an hour before he headed back to the hut he shared with Varia, deep in thought. She had spoke on many things, not just a few involving Varia. As one of the few people who knew his true aims she was in a better position than most to advise him on many matters, and to caution him on others. While it seemed that she in general did not think his and Varia’s interactions were problematic, just the opposite, she did have a few words of caution Maddox hadn’t considered. And her words of caution were not just in regards to Varia, but also Brom and Sabre. Maddox spent some time before night fell sitting in the high branches of the treehouse, thinking, deciding. 

He understood now what Viansola had intended by sending Brom and Varia to deal with the dark elves, and Maddox, though uneasy, had to concede the wisdom. It would be a much needed character building exercise for both and would show with more clarity if either was up for the tasks ahead, many of which they did not even know. 

But even if Varia succeeded in his quest, even if he survived the purification and sealing, even if he learned to control his demon, was there a place for him at Maddox’s side? Maddox had promised the other freedom, Varia had wanted that in death, what did Maddox want for him afterwards? No, even before that, even before he was to bring Arcturus into Maddox’s waiting arms, could Maddox keep the other by his side? Without telling him everything? Was that what he wanted? A week ago it would not have even been a thought. A week ago he would have said he’d use Varia however he needed, tell whatever lies he had to, without a care as to whether the person at the end was one even capable of wanting freedom. But now? And the others? He had never wavered in his purpose, not even a little, until now. No, he wasn’t wavering. He would finish what he started, just… 

Maddox came down from the treetops, the guard on them lightened again per Viansola’s order. Maddox entered the hut, closing the door behind him softly. His eyes landed on Varia and he considered him for a moment. He sat on the bed the two shared, a book in his hands.

He was so beautiful just then, the light of the moon shimmering against his porcelain skin, wintery eyes lifting to meet his own. The softness that gaze held when he looked at Maddox was unlike anything he had ever thought Varia capable of.

Maddox stood there for a moment, before crossing the room and taking the other’s face in his hands, his lips covering Varia’s. He didn’t want to think about his feelings for the other, what he was and was not willing to do to Varia in order to get what he wanted. He didn’t want to think about the promises he had made, the ones made to him. He just wanted to feel Varia’s skin against his, hear the other’s pleasure ring out through the trees. 

His hands were under the other’s clothes, seeking to free him of them as quickly as possible. The book Varia was holding thumped as it hit the floor, Varia’s hands snaking around him to grip at his shoulder, another tangling itself in Maddox’s hair. Varia pulled him forward onto the bed, onto his body, settling beneath him. It made him feel so powerful, to have the Demon of Arcturus lay below him.

Maddox stripped the other in record time, his hands sliding down the other’s sides and pulling off his pants, tossing them aside before sliding upwards and doing the same with the other’s shirt. He pulled his own over his head, breaking their kisses only long enough for the fabric to pass between them before claiming the other’s lips again. His hands gripped his side, feeling the muscles flex beneath him. Maddox’s other hand slid up Varia’s thigh, enamored with the soft skin of his former enemy once again.

One would have thought the other going off to die for how desperate they seemed, how determined Maddox was to commit every inch of Varia’s skin to the memory of his lips and hands. His lips left Varias to trail down his body, tasting the other’s flesh from neck to navel and beyond. He didn’t think as his mouth took Varia’s cock, didn’t pause to consider what he was doing and why. He forced his mind in the present, seeking no motive for why his mouth moved even lower other than to please the other. As his tongue dipped into the other, hands kneading the flesh of the other’s thighs, Maddox felt only contentment and the need to convey what he was feeling to the other. 

It was madness, what he was feeling. If he had stopped a moment to think about it no doubt he would have scared himself as much as he was scaring others. But that was likely why he didn’t stop, why he continued to probe inside the other until he was slicked enough to dispel discomfort. Maddox was impulsive, brutish, a world-class debaucher that ran the world with Sabre, starting fights as often as cleaning them up. He had discipline when needed but never was he swept away by his emotions or anyone else’s. Yet here he was, bound by some feeling of foreboding, by some need that he could not explain. 

In sudden frustration Maddox flipped the other onto his stomach, ignoring the grunt of surprise and the glare cast over Varia’s shoulder and leveled on him. Maddox leant his head lower, biting Varia’s shoulder as Maddox’s fingers slipped inside the other, stretching him once more before positioning himself. His face nuzzled Varia’s ear as one hand found Varia’s, slipping between the other’s fingers as his cock slipped between the other’s butt cheeks, pressing inward.

Varia was his. His prey, his rival, his to dominate and defeat. He would let no one else have him, kill him, bring him to ruin. “You are mine.” Maddox whispered in Arcturian dialect as he slid in to the hilt.

A choked moan left Varia from below Maddox as he pushed into him fully. His hand squeezed Maddox’s, his body flexing around Maddox’s intrusion as it tried to adjust and relax. Varia pressed his face against the bed, before he turned his head, his cheeks flush and his eyes narrowed. 

“A-Am I? How do you assume that?” Varia hissed in Arcturian, though his voice trembled. The shadows around the pair had lifted, smoky and light, curling around Maddox. It tickled his bare skin. Such a strange thing, to have those terrible appendages curling around him and not inflicting pain. A smirk pulled at Maddox’s lips.

The obvious answer to Varia’s question would be to point out their positions. How could Varia not be his in a conquering sense? If he felt for Varia less, if he had seen him as he saw any other male or female he fucked, he might have pointed to that as the first reason. It was surely a claiming and dominating position that even dogs used. But that was not why Maddox had him thus and not the thought that consumed the other’s mind.

He did, however, at Varia’s question and the slight challenge in it, thrust his hips a little harder, push a little deeper, to drive home the point, fueled by Varia’s moans. “Because, I wont let you go to anyone else, be conquered, defeated, or killed by anyone else.” Maddox’s hand came around Varia’s hips to encircle his cock, stroking the hardened member gently, calloused fingertips brushing over the sensitive head. 

“This is mine.” Maddox said before catching Varia’s lips in a kiss that held until it had to release for air. “This is mine.” Maddox’s lips moved to gently kiss Varia’s temple and whisper, “This is mine.” His hips slowed, aiming for depth over speed, his breath in Varia’s ear. “Your strength, your weakness, your dominance and submission, your life and your death, I will claim all of it. You are mine.” 

The obsession that had started purely as a need to conquer the other on the battlefield had changed to wanting to possess the other completely in other ways. But it was exactly that desire that Viansola had warned him against. If ignored then he could lose Varia, if not to others than to Varia himself. Treating him like a tool rather than a person would not distinguish Maddox from Arcturus and in the end Varia would turn against him. Yet, that desire taken too far threatened Maddox’s purpose and mission. He could not afford to get so caught up in Varia that he lost sight of what he was supposed to be doing, everything he had worked for. But how to walk that line was something Maddox had never had to learn. If Brom had never discovered another side to Varia, if Varia had been a little more evil, a little more intent on killing Maddox, maybe they would never have gotten this far. 

Maddox bit Varia’s shoulder as his hips moved faster again. Now it was a game of whether he could complete his task before Varia brought him to ruin.

Varia’s rolled back, meeting each thrust of Maddox, pulling a moan from Maddox’s lips as well. Maddox covered every bit of skin he could with kisses, claiming Varia as his wholly and completely. Varia had always been his, even before this, before the caves, before the burning of Emeriss. He had belonged to Maddox for far longer than either of them would ever admit, and Maddox belonged to Varia in return. No one, but each other could tame each other the way they could. No one was worthy of them, no one but each other.

Maddox’s hips pushed deeper, faster, his one hand squeezing the other’s, his other hand stroking Varia’s cock harder, faster, urging him to reward Maddox. Varia was intoxicating and he wanted more, he could never have enough of him. His scent, the sound of the soft, beautiful moans that rolled from his lips. The way his gaze softened when he looked at Maddox, the way his lips parted, the flush that met his cheeks when he was nearing completion. 

_You are mine._

Maddox felt the surge of electric pleasure begin to form in his stomach, moving lower with each thrust of his hips. The room was filled with the sounds of them, flesh meeting flesh, Varia’s moans, Maddox’s moans that only Varia could pull from him. 

Maddox’s lips met the back of Varia’s neck, biting the flesh beneath his hair softly. It happened so fast Maddox was nearly taken off guard. The gasp that left Varia, the wetness spreading over Maddox’s fingers, the way his body seized below him, constricting around his cock as he thrust deeper and harder.

A moan cracked from Maddox’s throat as he came shortly after, his hips bucking inside of Varia with every spurt, pushing his seed as deep as he could. He wanted it to spread in Varia, to warm him, to reaffirm the fact that Varia was his and only his. 

Maddox drew a shuddered breath, his hand sliding up Varia’s chest, grazing across his hardened nipples and reaching up to pull Varia’s face back to his own. Their lips met once more, a heavy breath leaving Maddox. Even then it was still as intense as the first time. Varia was going to destroy him.

His body trembled as he came down from his high, his hips slowing to a stop. He didn’t want to part, he wanted to stay inside of Varia forever. Was this love? Or just the effects of being left alone with Varia? He couldn’t say, but he didn’t want it to stop. 

With a grunt, Maddox slipped out of Varia, pressing his lips against Varia’s temple as the other hissed when his body was left empty. With a heaving grunt, Maddox flopped onto his back next to Varia, pulling Varia to lay across his chest. He drew a breath, his eyes closing as he stroked the hair on Varia’s temple. His arm bent behind his own head, taking the moment to just enjoy the silence and peace he seemed to find with Varia.

It was no joke to say that the sex he had with Varia was the best, and that was an accomplishment. With Sabre as a best friend, Maddox got around a lot. Even considering all the kinky people he had been with and the things he had done, the relatively vanilla sex he had with Varia the last few days topped it. 

But the strength of his orgasm and the pleasant tingle in his body was not what he was thinking about that moment as he finally opened his eyes to gaze at the stars peeking through the canopy. Instead, he was thinking about the things he had said to Varia and the things he had discussed with Viansola.

“Don’t die.” Maddox whispered softly in Arcturian. “Don’t die, and don’t fail. It’s not allowed.” Maddox restated, his hand never stilling its motion through Varia’s hair. “We’ve spent a decade trying to best the other. More than that, if you die during some stupid task from the elves, it will render all those years meaningless. The Varia I respect and consider my equal does not fall so easily. So keep your temper, don’t be stupid, look after Brom, and make it back to me.”

Maddox was more than a little nervous with just Varia and Brom going out on their own. There was a mild concern for assassination, but mostly that their training in Arcturus had conditioned them to the sort of responses that would not serve them well.

“I don’t say this because I need you for Arcturus. You dying would complicate that as well.” Maddox conceded. He still wasn’t looking at Varia. “But almost as long as my purpose, you have been there. If you suddenly died it would make trouble for me. A worthy rival is needed to make a person strong and decent. I do not yet consider myself either. So you can’t die yet. Not until I’m ready to take up my sword again against you.” 

Varia was quiet for a long moment, his head turned from Maddox. Maddox lowered his eyes to the back of Varia’s head, wondering for a moment if he was speaking his feelings out loud and Varia was asleep. But worse than that, he was dismissive.

"Worried that I can’t control myself? It'll be fine. Your elven friends will get their answers.” 

Maddox felt his brows crease, a soft sigh leaving him. That wasn’t what he had meant, but there would be no convincing Varia of that. Varia had it already in his mind what he considered his use to Maddox. And he wasn’t wrong, not completely.

Before Maddox could attempt to correct him, not that he would have tried, Varia’s hand slid up his stomach, finally turning his head to face Maddox.

"I won't die, not by the hand of anyone other than you. You promised me, and I intend to hold you to your word." Varia whispered, before he leant up, gently kissing Maddox’s jaw. "You are strong and decent. How much that means coming from me, I don’t know. But you are. You're the strongest person I've ever known, and despite how much of a shit head you are, you're the most decent as well. You're unlike anyone I've ever known." Varia spoke softly in Arcturian, shifting to lay down properly against Maddox’s chest once more. "I wont leave you, not yet." He whispered, his fingers tracing soft shapes against Maddox’s bare skin. 

Varia’s promises were oddly comforting, and Maddox knew he would keep his word. Varia didn’t die easily to begin with, and that he would only allow Maddox to kill him meant that he would try that much harder to stay alive. The other’s assurances that he was decent were less believed. Considering his point of reference was the rest of Arcturus and Brom. Maddox might be better than them, but only by a smidge. Maddox didn’t tell him that though. The longer that Varia thought him the better guy, was good for Maddox. He supposed that, where Varia was concerned, he was the best option, after Brom.

He looked down at the other as the promise not to leave him just yet echoed in his mind. Maddox’s hand twitched in the other’s hair, belying the emotion he felt. It was unknown yet what those words truly meant beyond that they would let no one but the other kill them. That, and perhaps that they now knew more about each other than anyone else did. Which didn’t say they knew a lot, but still. At the moment that was enough. 

Varia bent his head, kissing Maddox’s chest briefly before he stood. He took a rag to clean himself, before pulling his pants back onto his body. He didn’t bother to do them up, instead flopping back onto the bed next to Maddox. “What did she say to you when you stayed behind? You’ve been awfully concerned with my death since then.”

Maddox turned on his stomach as Varia moved from his arms, pillowing his head on them to make them forget their emptiness. “I was concerned when Viansola proposed the task, not what she said after. You don’t speak Elvish and Brom likely is rusty. The Dark Elves are more inclined to want to harness your power and will seek to tempt you. If they can’t they may try to kill you and they might have the means. I am also not entirely sure than Zeale or Daylor won’t have someone come after you to ensure your failure.” Maddox said, partially avoiding the question. “The blood magic weakened the Graves. I’m sure you’ve noticed. Until it’s purified that will remain. As you get closer to the source of the magic that restraint will weaken...and not just on your power. Blood magic calls to demons...it’ll make it harder to control. Then again, it’s not likely a heavy spell was used, so you may be okay.” 

A soft sigh left Varia, his eyes focused on his own fist, flexing it against his leg. "I've dealt with worse situations with worse handicaps than these. I'll be disappointed if they don’t send assassins.” His gaze lifted, turning to Maddox once more.

"I'm less concerned about the elves and more concerned with Dor’Goth. Without you, if he does awaken how will we defeat him? You know most about such things and... as much as I hate to admit, you are the only person that can stand up to me when I'm myself. If you aren’t there... and he takes over... how would you ever find me? How will you..." he started his last words, but allowed them to fade off. 

Maddox allowed an arm to slide over Varia as the other shifted to lay back down next to him, watching Varia’s profile. "I suppose that is what the elves want anyway. Viansola seemed keen on keeping me alive, but I cant imagine she would be very put off by the idea of me dying in some stupid, elven quest." Varia said, his eyes focused on the sky above, watching as the clouds passed by the canopy. "Brom would be put off by it... and you would maybe. I don’t think anyone else would be." 

Maddox sighed as Varia spoke, before he sat up. He studied the other for a moment, a small feeling of anger bubbling in his chest. He was so beautiful, and Arcturus broke him. Everyone he was ever in contact with broke him. Maddox broke him, Maddox turned him into the Demon of Arcturus just as much as everyone else had, and he wasn’t sure that he would be able to fix him.

“Come.” Maddox whispered, standing up and offering Varia his hand. Varia was voicing concerns that Maddox could help, or at least give reassurance too. 

Maddox spent the majority of the night teaching Varia various techniques to help in case the demon decided to make an appearance. He made sure to mix a small herbal drink that should assist Varia in maintaining control. He also created a weak amulet of cloth, wrapping it around Varia’s left wrist. It was to act as a first line of defense and as a warning if the demon drew too close to the surface. It would glow, and inflict a minor burn, hopefully to snap Varia out of anything too dangerous.

Of course, Maddox also reminded Varia’s body once more why it should return whole and well. But the morning had come much too quickly for his taste, and with the sun, Varia would leave.

Maddox watched as Varia prepared for the journey, his arms resting on his thighs, his eyes following Varia around the room as he busied himself. Varia dressed himself, donning that heavy fur cloak, strapping the weapons the elves gave to him to his body. 

Varia’s gaze changed the moment he placed his hands upon a sword, a new sword. An elvish sword, though it wasn’t enchanted by any means, it was a better blade than the one he had gotten in the village. 

Varia gave Maddox a nod, preparing to leave when Maddox grabbed his wrist, bringing him close. He gazed up at the other, thumb on his pulse.

“Don’t fear. If you lose yourself, I will find you. Like calls to like. Cithrel knows your feel now, I’d be able to track you. I’ll be waiting for you to get back.”

_Come back to me._

Varia gazed down at Maddox, lowering his head to softly press his lips against Maddox’s. Maddox drew a deep breath, wanting nothing more than to pull Varia in and force him to stay. But Varia broke the kiss much too quickly, and turned to leave.

Maddox sat still for a long moment, before he lifted himself from where he sat, moving out of the small room and into the dawn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was fun to write, but the coming chapters are definitely some of my favorite. Dor'Goth has not been forgotten, and he will not remain quiet for long. 
> 
> I work in healthcare, and with everything going on right now I've been very busy! Kudos, bookmarks and comments really help to motivate me to push through and write when I have time! I appreciate it all!
> 
> As always, comments are welcome and encouraged! Let me know how you feel and what you think!
> 
> Stay safe and healthy, everyone. :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conversations are had. Decisions are made. Friendships are strained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! Lots of happenings in the world, and I have been consumed. I should have another chapter up this weekend, and I should *hopefully* start posting regularly. 
> 
> As always, kudos, bookmarks and comments are much appreciated! They really help to motivate me to write more. Enjoy!

\- Sabre -

Brom waited at the edge of the forest with the guides that would show them the way to their destination. Sabre stood on the balcony above, watching with little interest. Brom was given a map with the caveat that sometimes the Graves shifted around as it wanted and that the paths may not always be true. Still, it would give them a general sense of where to go and how to get back. If they came back. They were being given four days to complete their task, for that was how long until the full moon. Apparently a full moon was a necessary component for a strong purification.

_They’ll need as much help as they can take if they plan to remove that demon from him._

Sabre’s attention left Brom as Brom’s gaze rose. Varia appeared finally, wearing his leathers and his cloak. He was given weapons at some point, and the sight of Varia with a sword at his side cause a familiar pull of unease in Sabre. He rather liked Varia being at their mercy, no powers, no weapons. Only Maddox and his cock to keep him stated. But it wasn’t as if Varia was alone in his compliance. Maddox followed after Varia, a strange look in his eye that Sabre could not quite place. Varia split from Maddox, moving instead to Brom, eyes focused into the trees as his second spoke quietly to him. Maddox joined Sabre where he stood instead. Sabre shot a scowl towards his friend, noting the downward turn of his lips in expressed displeasure.

“I suppose you’re going to be a weeping maiden until he returns.”

_If. If he returns._

Maddox smiled at that, tilting his head in response to Sabre’s jest, though his eyes remained focused ahead of him, on the little demon himself. “Perhaps. Though you and I will stay busy. We will need to gather what’s needed for the purification.”

Varia and Brom were leaving, being led into the forest by their elven guides. The darkness of the trees swallowed them whole, but just before Varia disappeared, he glanced over his shoulder at Maddox. Sabre curled his lip in disgust at that.

“Perhaps we can find a tavern, drink and whore until I am convinced you have not been changed.” Sabre offered. Maddox usually would not say no to a good whoring, and if he did, Sabre felt all hope was lost for him.

Maddox watched the pair disappear into the forest, and remained watching that spot for a little bit after they were out of sight. He inclined his head towards Sabre to indicate he was listening, a faint smile turning up the edge of his mouth. He finally looked towards his friend, throwing an arm around his shoulders. “While I appreciate the sentiment, if the purification is to be successful, I need to keep myself pure. You and I both know I’m anything but, but four days should be a sufficient good faith effort.” Maddox kissed the side of Sabre’s head and ruffled his hair. 

_Sly as ever._

Sabre relented, holding his hands up in exasperation. Maddox did not confirm nor deny that he was changed by the time spent with his former enemy, but he would likely not confirm or deny it. It was his way, after all. Maddox pat the satchel on his side, motioning for Sabre to follow behind him, down from the railings and into the forest opposite of where their companions vanished. 

“Why do you need to be pure? Shouldn’t that be his task? Though sending him off to a place where he will likely murder hundreds will not help, I imagine.” Sabre offered, sliding a hand along the rough trunk of a tree. Anytime he touched them, he felt something. Like a breath flowing through his finger-tips, or a pulse. The trees lived, he knew, with the souls of dead elves, but he was enchanted by them every day they stay. 

Maddox chuckled softly, giving Sabre a shrug. “It’s not for him or me that I need to do this, Sabre. The ceremony in a few days is also to fit my sword to a new scabbard. It will resist, especially with the blood magic in the air, and in order to force it, I have to apply a counter force. In essence, I can’t give the demon anywhere to run to.” 

Sabre and Maddox never spoke of Cithrel before. He should not have been so surprised Maddox knew that Sabre knew. It was his job, after all. To know things. Though while Maddox was his greatest friend, and longest, he was exceedingly private. There was cause for this, of course. He could not simply tell everyone of his purpose, or that he traveled with a demon bound within his sword. 

“So no whoring and drinking for me until he is back in a scabbard. Then I might take you up on that offer. Though, between us, it’s much easier and satisfying to stick with the demon. Keeps him calm as well.” Maddox continued, much to Sabre’s dismay, but again, he would allow it. 

As they spoke, Maddox often stopped, crouching to pluck a mushroom from the dirt, gathering fresh water in his water skin, a fist full of dirt from the roots of a tree. There was not much they needed to collect prior to the purification, but to start it now would save the Walkers time, hopefully, and allow them to make sure they were absolutely prepared. Sabre, while he did possess a list of needed materials, did not assist Maddox in digging through mud. He seemed to know what was needed without a list, and Sabre was fine with just accompanying him. 

“Shouldn’t keeping your demon sword close to Varia trigger something in it? Keeping him around becomes an increasingly terrible idea. Though I do not expect him to return. If he does not die, then he will run, which I would prefer to him snapping and murdering us all.” 

Maddox hummed to himself as Sabre spoke, stopping to crouch between two trees to dig up a pair of blue and white flowers. “The sword would alert me if the demon was taking over. Unless Varia took hold of it while under the demon’s power, it would not adversely affect it. “ 

Maddox carefully pulled four more bushels of flowers from the ground and slid them gently into his satchel, before rising. “You do not like him. That’s fair. He is horrible and the things he has done for Arcturus are unforgivable.” Sabre scowled at Maddox’s words, knowing he had some stupid point to prove. 

Maddox smiled at his expression, stepping onto a tall root and dropping onto the other side. “We have also done some awful things in the names of Er Rai and Nihal.” Before Sabre could protest, Maddox continued. “He won’t run. He does not have any other option. His best chances are with us, and he knows it. Dying, though, could be a valid concern, but if I could not kill him all this time, and believe me, I tried, I doubt he’d die so easily.” 

Sabre followed Maddox, stepping around the root rather than vaulting it. “That sounds fine when you say it, but how do you know he has no other options? He has been murdering and destroying Nihal for nearly twenty years, and has never been caught. And then he was caught so suddenly, by standard soldiers, none the less. You’ve laid with him, and I know he’s seen the mark you carry. Arcturus is foolish for casting him aside so easily. Who is to say that he isn’t here, right now, sleeping with you, tearing down your guard, forcing you to act like a love stricken princess in order to do something **more**?” Sabre gestured around them, as if proving his point, though the only thing there were trees and Maddox’s gaze, which had turned to ice and leveled on him even as he spoke. 

“He’s committed many atrocities, and destroying the last of the Aesir line would barely phase him, no matter how many times the heir sticks his cock in him. Think about how easily Varia conceded to us, how easily he turned on Arcturus, how easily he spread his legs for you.” Sabre pointed out, though he was no longer speaking the common tongue, instead speaking in low Nihalian. Maddox likely did not know Sabre knew his secret, though if one really considered things, it only made sense. He could see the surprise, then the anger. 

Maddox stared at him, eyes hardened in a way that seemed so unlike him, yet so familiar. Maddox would kill him now, bury him and no one would ever know, Sabre knew that. He only hoped he was considered useful to Maddox. Everything that he has done, since he was placed in Maddox’s corner, was done with a common goal. To restore the throne of the Aesirs and end the war. Maddox’s gaze was concerning, the way his hand flexed, his feet planted firmly. He truly thought, for a moment, that Maddox **would** kill him. 

“You’re right. I don’t like him. He’s taken much from me and you, and yet here you are. If he slid a blade in you, you wouldn’t noticed. You’re so enamored with him. I can see it, this is beyond sexual attraction. You want him. All of him.” Sabre spoke, his voice softer this time. 

A long, calculated breath was drawn from his friend, eyes closing briefly. “You know, that perception and casual way you talk is what I like about you, Sabre. But sometimes you’re too smart for your own good. I hope for everyone’s sake you kept your revelation to yourself. I need Nihal as an ally, but if the royal house knows too much too soon, they will quickly become an enemy. No one, and I mean no one, Sabre, is to know what you know. Varia doesn’t know, neither does my brother, and that is to remain true. For either of them to know, especially if either of them know, the plans goes to ruin and I have no reason to be loyal to anyone. I hope I have made myself clear.” 

_Explicitly._

Sabre had expected anger, maybe a brief moment of violence, but he hadn't expected the creepy calm that Maddox displayed just then. For the first time in their time together, all those many years, he feared Maddox. He knew he was capable of great and horrible things, but that did not make him fear Maddox. Maddox turned on Sabre, turned on Nihal, was dangerous. Especially with Varia by his side. He was the Hero of Er Rai, equal to Varia in every way. He had done things, murdered scores of people. His actions were no different from Varia’s, he was just on a different side. The reminder Sabre just received was like a slap in the face. Maddox was a dangerous man, and he'd do well not to forget it. The worst part, the most terrifying part, was that Maddox was **not** Varia. Varia's intentions were always bad, he wasn't able to hide his disgust with humans so easily, but Maddox could. Maddox had control over himself, he had a grip on his power, and he knew what he wanted. He was highly driven by his own quest, and that made him so much more dangerous than Varia. What drove Maddox was not a need to impress his masters, or out of fear of being left behind. He wasn't driven by anyone or anything, but his own goals. No one influenced him, and that was beginning to concern Sabre. 

_Varia aside, Maddox is a fucking psychopath in his own right._

He knew Maddox's lineage, but what he planned to do if they ever sat him on the icy throne was now a question Sabre wanted answered. He was so adamant on having Varia bring the military around, who's to say he wouldn't turn and declare war? With Maddox on the throne and Varia leading the black army once more, no one would be able to stand up to them. 

But regardless of the motives behind either man, Varia was winning. He had never seen Maddox look at someone the way he looked at Varia. Even if Varia wasn't using him, even if Varia truly wanted to help, Sabre could see Maddox descending down a road he couldn't come back from. Varia's influence over Maddox was profound, and Sabre could see the obsession within Maddox. It scared him, scared him more than anything else did. Putting Maddox on the throne was Sabre's goal, but if Varia chose to walk away, what would prevent Maddox from following? Some ancient purpose, some blood right to a throne that hasn't been sat upon in centuries? It was beyond a desire to watch Varia and to keep him from harming others. It was beginning to look like a desire to just be with him, no matter where he was, no matter what he was doing. Maddox's obsession was being fueled by the Demon of Arcturus, and it could easily destroy everything they had worked for. Whether Varia believed it, or whether Varia had malicious intentions, he appeared to be winning. 

But despite harsh words, Maddox turned from him, content with sufficiently frightening Sabre. 

“I don’t think Varia is faking it, but I can’t rule out ulterior motives either. So long as I use him before he gets to me, it won’t be a problem, right?” Maddox said as he inspected a nearby tree. He stroked the bark and whispered something in Elvish, causing the leaves above to shake in seeming reply. Maddox took his dagger and embedded it in the tree, wiggling it until he made a small hole and silver sap flowed free. He took only a few teaspoons worth before the hole closed. “If Varia can forget his purpose before I forget mine, all the better. For better or worse, he is Legion. I can’t take control of it without him.” Maddox reminded. 

"Perhaps he isn't tricking you. He may just feel like he has no other options. You've acknowledged his powers and his abilities, and you've done so genuinely. His intentions could truly be what he says they are." Sabre’s voice was calm, despite being shaken by Maddox. His hand wiped at a small building of sweat on his brow. "But once we reach Arcturus, what then? He has intimate knowledge of us now, he has an in with us. Arcturus failed to kill him, but they won't make another mistake like that. If they don't try to kill him, they'd be wise to try and get him back. I'm not sure he's strong enough to deny them." 

Varia was notoriously unstable. If Arcturus attempted to take him back, the abuse he suffered would likely move him right back into their clutches, with all the information and sway he had now. Sabre spent time thinking of this, and, as much as he hated it, he felt as if he had found a solution. 

"If you want to keep him with us and out of Arcturus’ clutches, you cannot treat him the way they have. You cannot treat him as a weapon or as a means to an end. Without him, you don't have the Legion, and they'll be standing between you and your goal. Don’t use him how Arcturus did. Love him, secure him to our side, or kill him. I won't follow you if you start to become like them, and I want to follow you to the very end.” He drew a deep breath, golden eyes focused on Maddox who had turned his attention to Sabre once again. 

“You must not treat him as they have. You must love him, secure him to our side… and then you must kill him. There is no future for the two of you, and I know you want there to be. He's too risky to keep around after we finish our quest, if he turns on you, so does the military. There's no place for him at your side, he'll need to be removed." 

Sabre could not only see Maddox spiraling into a love fueled obsession with Varia, he could see Varia was just as affected. He had likely no idea what any of it meant or how to act. It probably never happened to him before, ever, and yet here they were. It was like a story from some fantastical romance novel, two people, sworn enemies, falling deeply for each other. But it would end tragically for one, or both of them. 

_If it has to end for someone, let it be Varia._

Maddox put the sap in his satchel as Sabre continued to speak, before looking to Sabre with a cocked eyebrow. “You think I am falling for him? That I might love him?” Maddox asked rhetorically with a smile, coming over to sit near Sabre on the root. “Maybe you’re right, but there is nothing to be done. It is necessary.” Maddox looked over at his friend with a genuine smile, wrapping an arm around him and kissing the side of his face jovially. “Arcturus is a problem, but Varia, I think I can handle. Once I am on the ice, it will be fine. Whether he is playing me or not. Get me to the ice, Sabre, and you need not be concerned about Varia.” 

“Are you going to kill him once we get to Arcturus?” Sabre asked, allowing Maddox to embrace him as they normally did, but not allowing him to dance around his solution. He needed Varia, he needed Varia’s military and his influence among all people. Maddox was heir, that was fact, and Arcturus believed in their blood rights. But the Aesir family was overthrown long ago, and all mention of the good they had done had been erased from Arcturian history in an attempt to keep any others from claiming the throne. If Varia threw his support behind Maddox, the people would follow. Not out of love for Maddox, but out of respect for the man they largely considered their leader already. But if Varia did turn on them, with or without the current government, it would be the end of Maddoxs quest. Without Varia, he only had his blood. The people knew him as an enemy, the rival to their own hero. The one that couldn’t be beaten. Maddox was as much a stranger to those lands and people as Sabre was. 

Yet, if Varia did turn cloak on them, would Maddox even be able to kill him? They needed him, but he could be extremely problematic. It was a thin line, a dangerous one, and while Maddox seemed to find humor in Sabre’s observation, he wasn’t wrong. Sabre was keen to these things, and he had seen Maddox lust over many people. He had seen the need to dominate and conquer many as well, but while this may have started that way, the demon had a grasp on Maddox Sabre had never seen. If there was a chance Varia would return to him, would Maddox risk killing him? It seemed likely now, but every breath the man drew pushed him closer to the point he couldn’t come back from. 

“Not unless he gives me reason to. I intend to keep my word to him.” 

Sabre sighed, unhappy with the answer, but expecting it. It was partly his fault. He pushed so many options on Maddox then, though they did all end with the death of the little psycho. No matter, Maddox would not try to kill him. Typical. 

Maddox looked down at his mending hand, flexing it slightly. “Besides, I have you to keep me on task. You say you want to follow me to the end, then you have stake is seeing that I get there, by whatever means.” 

A heavy sigh left Sabres lips, and he sunk to sit next to Maddox on the root, defeated. “I will see your task done. I’ve been here this whole time, knowing this whole time as well. If I hadn’t wanted you to succeed, I wouldn’t have stayed. You’re what this world needs, despite how much of a fuck head you are. And as much as I hate it, as if now, we need the little psycho.” Sabre spoke with exhaustion clearly sounding in his voice. “Joke as you may, you are falling for him. I recognize the look in your eye whenever you speak of him. I’ve never seen you look that way before. If he does not agree with your mission, he could utterly destroy it. You will have to destroy him first. If you continue on this way, you may not be able to make that choice. He won't stay with you, even if he sees your mission through to the end. The Demon of Arcturus would never settle down with anyone, even the golden Hero of Er Rai. He'll leave you once this is over, no matter how you feel for him, or how he feels for you. His place is not next to you, it is opposing you.” 

Sabre was quiet after that for a moment, considering his own words. He was almost certain of what he said. Almost. Even he had begun to doubt it though. As much as he was keen on how Maddox was feeling, he could see it in Varia too. Varia was harder to read for him, years of abuse and torment had caused the man to bury his emotions deep, but not as deep as he had originally thought. He had seen the humanity in Varia right away, and even now he was surprised. The image of Varia turning to look back at Maddox as he disappeared into the graves was burned into his mind. That alone told him all he needed to know. Varia felt the same for Maddox. And Sabre wasn’t sure if he would leave after all. He may very well stay at Maddox’s side, a shadow behind the throne. Not just as a weapon, but as his lover. Those two could last eternity, but he didn’t want to feed into Maddox’s obsession anymore. He wanted it to end. He needed it to end. Varia had done too much, killed too many. He wanted him dead for no reasons other than that. 

“If I do this right, as you suggest, he will fall just as well. If this is new for me, it is certainly new for him. It would not be the mission, I think, that would tip him. As you said, it would be me, how I react to him. Our relationship, even as enemies, was one of mutual, if not begrudging, respect.” Maddox was right. On and off the battlefield, they understood each other’s struggles, their determination. More recently, they had grown to see a measure of each other’s darkness, their limitations, and needs as humans. “His humanity might surprise you.” 

Sabre snorted at that, his thick brow deepening into a scowl. “It wouldn’t. Not after the things he has done.” A silence drew around them for a moment, but Sabre was not certain if it was out of respect for the dead, or just an uneasiness with each other’s presence. 

“But you never listen to me anyway. You’ll do what you always do, and if that’s falling in love with that psycho ass little man with his psycho ass demon living inside of him, so be it. Just don’t count on me to bail you out when he breaks your cold, dead heart.” Sabre said suddenly, shoving Maddox off of him and standing up. “Your antics are going to age me far faster than I need, and then you’ll have to lend the little demon to me. I won’t be able to get ass anywhere else, and he seems more than willing to spread his legs for his enemies.” Sabre said, his usual humor returning to his tone. “And too bad if you aren’t keen on sharing. You owe me.” 

At the notion that Varia should be shared, Maddox barked out a laugh. “He would kill us both in a heartbeat for even suggesting it. Don’t let him hear you say that shit.” Maddox rose to his feet, clasping a hand to Sabres shoulder, beginning to walk them back towards the village. “I know you find yourself charming, but I’m afraid Varia finds you lacking.” Sabre wacked the hand on his shoulder, barking a sarcastic laugh to the sky. “Me?! Lacking?! I am lacking no-where, and I will show the little beast!” 

A chorus of cackles and hoots drifted beyond the trees as they returned home. It was almost as if nothing changed, even though everything had. 

  
  


\- Brom -

  
  


The elves led Varia and Brom deeper into the Graves, a hush falling over them as they did so. But the hush was not oppressive. A little tense, but otherwise comforting. They had been walking for several hours and the sun was beginning to dip below the tree line before Brom spoke to Varia. 

“Are you alright?” It was an open ended question, inquiring about more than just Varia’s physical health. 

Varia was silent for the trip thus far. Their guards were also quiet. It was noticeable, though not uncomfortable. Brom was no longer used to being alone with Varia. They were friends, weren’t they? But when wintery eyes shifted to flicker over him from the corner of his eyes, he felt a bit bashful, as if Varia could see things no one else could. 

Varia regarded him for a long moment, before eyes shifted forward once more. "I'm fine. Everything is quiet, nothing feels amiss." He replied in Arcturian. 

It was reassuring to hear that Varia felt as he should, though Brom doubted that was completely true. Varia’s words promised only that the demons that usually plagued Varia, and perhaps the new demon as well, were quiet. That, in and of itself, was unusual. Varia had not had issues with his personal demons in a while, even before they got into the forest. Whether that was because Varia had bigger problems, or because of whatever he had going on with Maddox, Brom was unsure. Both were not comforting. 

On the one hand, if it was because of the demon, then this quest might test that and bring both Varia’s personal and external demons to the fore. On the other, if it was because of Maddox, then the further they moved from him and his influence, the more likely Varia was to relapse. Brom could not do for Varia what Maddox was, and if Brom’s method no longer worked because of Maddox’s interference, then they were screwed. 

“Did Maddox give you any advice or idea what we are walking into?” Brom asked in the same language, deciding to avoid the question of Varia and Maddox for now. It was pretty obvious what was going on, the question was really how Varia felt about it. Brom didn’t really want to ask around the elves, but whether they would have any time alone before they were in enemy territory was unclear. He also wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear what Varia had to say. If he said he had feelings for Maddox, though Maddox was his brother, Brom couldn’t say he trusted that Varia’s feelings would be returned. At the same time, he wasn’t sure that both weren’t playing each other. 

Varia sighed, giving a half-hearted shrug to Brom as they walked. His eyes were focused on the trees around them, focused on their surroundings. Birds and other critters chirped near them, the leaves of the massive trees brushed against each other in a cool breeze. Small pockets of light filtered down through the canopy, leaving a golden trail where ever the sun could reach, golden as the sun set. "Dark elves are using blood magic to assault the graves. We're meant to bring them back for justice... though it would be safe to assume they'll want to keep me and use the demon that dwells inside of me." 

It was a constant game it seemed. Always someone, somewhere sought to use Varia for their own means. Brom was angered by that. Varia never got to properly mourn the loss of Arcturus before Maddox had begun pursuing him in their stead. And now the elves. The wood elves were using him to track their foe. The foe they tracked would likely try to persuade him into staying with them, or attempt to force him. Nothing could stop him right now. There were two guards on them, two guides. It would be easy to kill them, and run. He could just run, never look back. Leave behind whatever Maddox wanted him for, leave the elves, leave the entire war behind. 

“Whatever you would like to do, I will follow you.” Brom said softly. Varias gaze darkened as Brom spoke, but he did not reply to him. He knew Varia was thinking of running as well, and he didn’t blame him. Now was the perfect time as they had limited guard detail. At the same time, getting out of the Graves would be difficult. They had a map, but had been told the Graves shift often as it wanted. No doubt if they spilled Elven blood the forest would not approve and would thwart their efforts to escape. The elves were also much more adept at fighting among the trees. It was not as if the trees were widely spaced, alternating between being closely packed and evenly spread. 

Leaving his brother would provide more freedom in terms of possible futures, but ones that were fraught with much more uncertainty. Betraying his brother, on the one hand, felt wrong. His brother had done everything in his power to protect him and make this plan work. Betraying him felt like slapping Maddox in the face and spitting on everything he had done to avenge their family. On the other hand, it had been the risk Maddox ran, putting him at Varia’s side for so long. He was loyal to Varia and did not want to do anything that would bring harm to the other. It was also the case that Maddox was doing something else behind the scenes. Perhaps it was part of the original plan, but Brom had known nothing about the other’s sword until they arrived here and still knew little. 

The rest of their journey was silent. The tree line broke after several more hours, after the sun had set. The town on the outskirts was a human town, small, a mining town it seemed. It was nestled into a steep ridge, surrounded by mountains and the trees. Old wooden buildings, a donkey or two, and the cave. The cave lay to the side of the town, its mouth wipe and gaping. It was dark, much darker than the one where the demon took Varia. Several standing torches, unlit the closer they drew, lined a dirt path from the village to the maw. 

The two men moved through the small, quiet town, securing a room at the inn. Many eyes were on them, likely because they were outsiders, clearly warriors, and came from the trees. But despite their stares, no one said a word. The two of them sat at a table in the inn, minding their position to the door and away from prying ears and eyes. A bar wench set horns of ale down for them, as well as plates of steaming lamp chops and vegetables. Brom felt his stomach gurgle at the smell, not realizing how hungry he was. Varia did not look to the food, instead leaning back in his seat, resting his foot against his opposite knee. 

“I’m sure you have things to ask me. May as well get it over with.” Varia murmured, snatching the horn of ale from where it sat. 

“What is my brother’s influence over you?” Brom began, not thinking twice when he was given permission to speak freely, tearing a small piece of meat from the bone and sniffing it before popping it into his mouth. “You’ve been getting closer to him, even sleeping with him. Why? For what purpose? It won’t assure his promises to you any more than if you remained as you were.” 

Brom generally considered his brother an honest man and did not think that Varia sweetening the pot with sex would influence Maddox’s choice. If Maddox had decided to let the other live then he would do so, even if Varia never gave him more reasons to think it was a good idea. 

Already Varia’s expression was one of annoyance, and Brom hid his face in his food instead of facing that fire. "I expect nothing from your brother. Sleeping with him won’t change his mind about anything he’s decided, I know that. There is no ploy, no ulterior motive, I'm just...." Varias words faltered, his brow furrowing. 

Brom paused mid-chew, lifting his gaze to regard his commander briefly in surprise. "I just.... I generally enjoy him. Even though he’s awful. He makes the whispers quiet, he keeps my mind here." Varia said, before he slowly trailed off once more. He finally slid his plate closer to him, though he picked at it more than eating it, but it was better than sitting there awkwardly."I know that isn’t what you wanted to hear. I wish I had some plan behind my actions, but I don’t." 

Brom was emboldened by Varia’s sudden nervousness, and felt that he may truly get an answer. Varia was quiet, did not give much about himself away, especially things that made him feel weak. This was certainly something that made him feel weak, and Brom would capitalize on that. 

“Why him?” Brom asked next, pushing the potatoes around his plate. His eyes briefly moved around the room, keeping track of who looked their way and where everyone was moving. “Why now? Why did you choose now, to be tired of it?” Brom asked, believing that Varia perhaps had no motive, but also finding the timing strange. He supposed there was no algorithm for when someone snapped and tired of their life, of war. But even though there was none, Brom still felt it should show some sign, should give some warning. 

“Of all the wars, the battles and opponents. Of all the bed partners, many better in every way than him, why now? And don’t say it was because of me. There were many chances to stop it well before this and you never gave sign that you wanted to stop, that you needed it to stop. So why are you choosing now? Now, when arguably we are best positioned to continue, to take the Legion…” Brom stopped. 

His voice hadn’t risen but his tone had. He was pissed, beyond belief, and he hadn’t realized it until he had begun speaking. He was angry that Varia had never told him when it was too much. He was angry that Maddox, of all fucking people, was convincing Varia to quit. He was pissed that it seemed more and more he was becoming unnecessary to Varia. He didn’t want to sound like a brat but it felt so foreign and unfair. “Why are you choosing to leave me behind without a word?” 

Varia reacted in kind, his gaze flashing in brief anger at Broms tone. But, to his credit, his voice was calm. "I do not intend to leave you behind, no matter the lies you've fed me over the years. I do not know what to do with myself, you're the only familiar thing I have left, despite how I now know I never truly knew you. Arcturus has left me behind, I have nothing left, and I'm lost. I've never had a chance at freedom, and now that I've escape them, someone else has now come to claim my abilities as their own."

It was infuriating as much as it made sense. Varia wanted to return home, to return to Mal’ Dyr and to take what he felt was owed. Arcturus betrayed him. They abused him, beat him, ruined him for anyone who even attempted to fix him, and they cast him out like he was nothing. After all he had done for them, after all they had done to him, he didn't matter to them. It would be their undoing, that much Brom knew. For a country so hell bent on gaining power, they had cast their most powerful player aside so easily. They should have made sure he was dead, because he would come for them.

"I still need you. I just want to go home, whether to die or to kill everyone there, I just want to go back to the ice. It doesn't matter what Maddox wants with me, none of that matters. No where else will have me, I don't have the luxury of family or friends like Sabre. You're my only friend, and I need your help. I need to play his game, I need to do it so we can go home." It was rare, Varia speaking so openly about things like this, and Brom was afraid to stop him.

"Your brother is using me. He's no different from Arcturus in that aspect. You protected me from them, and it's unfair to assume you would protect me from him. I didn't know freedom before, I didn't know I wanted it. Arcturus had their claws in me so deep, I never thought there would be something else for me out there. If I had known I wanted out, if I understood Arcturus wasn't my only option, I would have told you. Eventually I'll be able to thank you for freeing me, though in doing so you drove me right into the clutches of Maddox. He's still a better option than Arcturus, and in freeing me from them, you saved me. I haven't stopped needing you, Brom. We'll be returning to the ice soon, and I'm not so certain I'll allow your brother to murder me once he's finished with me." Varia's eyes finally lowered from Broms, gazing down at the peeling wood of the table.

Hearing Varia’s words left a bitter taste in Broms mouth. A sinking knot in his stomach. His chest hurt, and he could feel his heart hammering into his ribs. He knew his face would not reveal how he felt, but he knew Varia could read him as much as Brom could read Varia.

“He’s in my head. He’s in my fucking dreams. He’s all I think about, and I hate it. I never wanted this, I still don’t want it, but I don’t know how to stop.” Varia’s voice dropped to a whisper. He was afraid, Brom could tell. Varia was never afraid, he would charge head first into whatever horrors they faced, but he feared Maddox and how he felt about him.

“Arcturus has damaged me beyond relief, and he couldn't save me if he tried. But he doesn't want to. Arcturus molded me for him. I'm the weapon he wants and needs, but that's all I am. If he even knows how I feel about him, he'll use it to secure me to whatever purpose he has, and I don't know if I'll be able to resist it. I need you still. Maddox helps, but he's ruining me. The freedom you gave me he already took from me, and I'm scared, because I don't care about my freedom as much, so long as I'm still near him." It was completely unfounded for Varia to be speaking like this. His words didn't sound like they belonged to him. Varia was the Demon of Arcturus. He had ripped babies from the breasts of their mothers, he had slaughtered women and children, soldiers and lovers. He was not the type of person to fall for anyone, yet here he was, spiraling down into the hole Maddox had made for him.

Brom sat and listened, no longer hungry. Seeing Varia, his commander, the Demon of Arcturus, so vulnerable, so scared… it unsettled him to his very core. He needed to stop this, in any way he could. He knew Varia well, much better than his brother, but he did not know how to save Varia from him. He did not know if any words could sway Varia from the cold grasp of Maddox’s arms, but he had to _try_.

“When I was younger, it was just me and my brother. I told you I don’t remember our parents, not their names or faces, so it was always just Maddox. To most he is as you see him: generally upright, kind, a bit of a shit but everything a hero of Er Rai should be. But that’s not the real him. Underneath everything you see, there is another Maddox, the real one. I’ve only seen it once but that was all I needed to see. He was talking to an ally. Someone from Ubrax. It must have been someone important, for soon after this they fell quickly and were absorbed by another empire. We were on the outskirts of Er Rai, I don’t recall the city. The bookcase had a hidden nook in it that Maddox must not have known about. The man from Ubrax was arguing with him, something about Arcturus and wiping it off the planet, the usual Er Rai rhetoric. But at some point he called my brother by another name, one I have never heard before nor heard anywhere since. I would think I imagined it except for the look that came over Maddox’s face.” Brom paused, staring into the condensation trailing down his horn, wishing it was full again, before looking up into Varia’s eyes.

“When people call you the demon of Arcturus, they are referring primarily to your military prowess, how you slaughter on the killing fields, your ruthlessness in battle. I always thought that just made you a good soldier, never a demon. But I think also because, even though you were standoffish and cold, you were never ice. You opened up to me, and I felt I could do so with you. However small, there was warmth behind the cold. But Maddox….” Brom paused again, looking away from Varia’s eyes. “There was no warmth there, only ice. You know the mountains near the hold? The Wall of the Sun? That lake on the other side with ice that’s been frozen for centuries, do you remember it? That’s what his eyes reminded me of. There was no warmth there, and he didn’t flinch as he slid a knife into the man’s back. The man was his ally, a high ranking one I’m told. But he killed him and made it just...disappear. Ever since, no matter how much he laughs, no matter how kind he seems to be, I can’t unsee that ice.” Brom took a swig of the liquor before him, spearing a potato but putting it back on the plate without eating it.

“Because of that, before you, I was also alone. You may not believe me, but you were my first and only friend as well. The first year or two, you were just a target, I admit, but for most of it...for all that you are a demon, you are the most honest person I know. I suggested you to Maddox because I didn’t want him to kill you, and at the time I felt there was a good chance he would. I did this, to save you. For whatever it’s worth, I truly believe that.” Brom went quiet as the waitress came to refill their drinks and brought more bread. She lingered for a moment until it was clear they wanted nothing else.

Brom mulled over the rest of what Varia had told him. His friend had fallen for his brother, fallen for the warm shell the monster projected. He had never heard Varia talk this way, about anyone or anything. When Varia had been speaking, Brom could see the uncertainty, how lost the other was in this new environment. “You don’t have to play his game, if the ice is all you want. Most of the military loves you, all you have to do is say the word. You don’t need him to get there. As for falling for him….” Brom sighed. “If it is ice that you want, Varia, that is all Maddox is, at his core. As you are darkness, he is ice. He won’t give you what you’ve read about, but he does feel something for you. I don’t know what it is, if it’s genuine or not...if I can protect you from it, even though I want to. I will follow you to the end, Varia, wherever you want that to be. If you choose Maddox, complete this quest, or if you choose to walk away and disappear back to the ice. I will follow you. You just have to choose.”

_Please. Please do not choose him._

Varia’s gaze lowered from Broms once again. Brom knew Varia had seen it as well. Perhaps Varia could just see darkness in others, or perhaps Maddox had allowed him a glimpse. But the gaze revealed that Varia knew. Varia himself was capable of a great many, horrifying and heinous things, but he did not hide it. Arcturus desired those traits, encouraged them. Rewarded them. The things Varia did haunted him, but the things Maddox did did not haunt him, or he was not tormented by their lingering memory like Varia was.

“Your brother is using me. I will not be a victim to Arcturus, and I will not replace them with Maddox.” Varia spoke finally, after a long moment. “We will continue on with this quest. Once we reach Arcturus, I will make a decision on what we should do. You may follow me then.”

Few understood darkness and ice like Varia. Perhaps the two were more compatible than he originally thought. Even so, a happy ending was not something Brom could foresee for them. Then again, a happy ending had never been a thought for any of them that he knew. Perhaps that was what was so scary about all of this. Maddox and Varia were reaching for an unknown, something they had not been given permission to desire or reach for. The risk if it was a lie was too great. Perhaps that was the fear that Brom shared with Sabre and why watching his friend made him uneasy. Varia’s words were comforting, but Brom knew that it was nothing so simple. Ridding oneself of feelings was something people struggled with and most never achieved. Brom also wasn’t entirely sure he was wholeheartedly rooting for the other to divest himself of such feelings.

He allowed Varia to dive into his ale, and dropped the subject. The rest of dinner was silent, both absorbed by their own thoughts. They were told that the best time to enter the antre was when the moon was high, if one wanted to catch the dark elves awake. Since they were at least initially coming to investigate rather than cleanse, it would be best to approach them while awake and not at a disadvantage.

They took a brief nap, reviewed the sketchy map they were given of the interior of the system, and as the moon rose high, they headed to the mouth of the cave, torches in hand.

Brom looked to Varia, his eyes drifting down his arm and lingering on the piece of fabric tied around his wrist. He felt a flash of anger, wondering why Maddox parted in such a way. To bring him back, no doubt. How pathetic. But the flash of the ribbon he saw was soon hidden once more as Varia stepped into the darkness of the cave, unafraid of the abyss before them. He truly only feared Maddox, as he should.

Brom lingered for a moment, before a heavy sigh left him. “Into the dragons, maw, I guess...” he muttered, before moving forward into the dark.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varia and Brom meet the leader of the dark elves. They discover a strange illness among the elves.

\- Varia -

  
“How are you feeling? Any different now that we are further from the Graves?” Brom was soft spoken, but in the chasm his voice seemed to carry. The cave outside of the scant glow of the torch was pitch black and looked the same. But the darkness was a welcome oppressiveness to Varia. It wasn’t like the caves they had so often been in before, where the cold stung his skin and the maliciousness choked him. It was cool and damp, void of all natural light, but there was nothing like Dor’Goth lurking in its depths.

Broms question made him twitch his brow in thought. The further they got from the trees, the deeper into the cave they traveled, the less of a hold the Graves had on him. He noticed a change hours ago when they neared the edge of the trees. He felt in control again, at least over some aspect of himself. There was still that wild churning of uncertainty dwelling in his consciousness. Uncertainty of his future, of his own control over himself, of his strength compared to Dor’Goth. Of Maddox and the purpose he decided for him. A ball of anger welled inside of his throat briefly, but Brom’s genuine concern chased it away.

Varia looked to his wrist, to the small ribbon Maddox tied around it. For a moment, it seemed like it glowed against the darkness, but Varia turned his gaze to his torch instead. “Nothing noticeable.” He replied, even as the shadows around them pulsed in disagreement. “The further we go, the more control I have over myself.” 

But a sudden pulse of shadow stopped him in his tracks. He caught Brom’s arm, stopping him as well. The corridor ahead of the stretched on into an abyss, but they were not alone. Varia did not hear the movement, he felt it. He didn’t speak, eyes focused straight ahead. His grip on Broms arm grew painfully tight, but he did not notice. The shadows around them curled upwards, wrapping around Varia like protective arms seeking to shield him. They wrapped around Brom as well, but where they touched his skin it burned him. He did not pay any mind to the sound of pain Brom made, nor how he tried to pull his arm away.

The shadows continued to spread, tendrils wrapping about the flames, hissing as power met fire, before they solidified, tightened, and snuffed the flames. Varia let his torch drop, welcoming the dark as it consumed them. He released Broms arm and slid forward. 

“I can feel you out there.” Varia whispered, the shadows shifting under his feet with every step. His arm extended, fingertips gently brushing along the pulsing and shifting darkness that consumed the stone walls. Somewhere in the back of his mind he realized that this was a new extension of his abilities and powers. He could hear the quick beats of little elven hearts. He could feel the tremble in their bones as he drew closer.

If he wanted, he could end this now. The creatures were soft flesh and blood, easily torn and spilled. The wood elves wanted their justice, Varia could deliver it to them in as many pieces as he liked and they could do nothing to him. But he didn’t want to do that. He wanted them to flee. He wanted to chase them. He wanted to feel their panic reverberating through the shadows. He wanted to feel the tear of skin and crunch of bones under his hands. He wanted to coat himself in their blood, wear it proudly and declare himself ruler there. How dare they live in the dark, the dark was his.

His hand stalled on the wall, his feet ceasing their movements. His hand flexed, and a heavy breath left him at the sudden burn. He turned his gaze down towards his wrist, though he could not see. The ribbon was burning him, his arm twitching in pain as he came back to himself. He turned suddenly, remembering he left Brom in the dark, reaching to take his hand and pull him to his side. 

“Tell them to come out. Tell them why we’re here, and that we do not come seeking violence.” Varia whispered, all danger leaving. The shadows settled as much as they would, still churning and shifting against the cave wall and floor. He felt Brom flinch in his grip, and he hissed to him. “Are you sure? It’s hard to say when you start like that.” Brom tore away from him, striking his flint once, then twice, and relighted his torch.

“We have come on behalf of the wood elves just west of here. We come seeking answers for the Elder cut down before its time. We only seek answers, nothing more. We have come as truth-seekers, not justice bringers.” Brom said in clipped, rusty elvish. Unlike the elvish spoken by the wood elves, which sounded more like whispers in the leaves, dark elf elvish had sharper sounds more akin to the sounds used in echo location. 

There was a sound and an elf with pale skin and features growing bat-like came to the edge of the light. The elves were slightly hunched, wide red eyes squinted against the light of the torch. Their ears were long and pointed, much longer than any of the other elven species. They were hideous, small, pointed and jagged teeth framed lipless mouths. They didn't need to see down here in the darkness, but their sense of smell and their hearing likely was what kept them alive for so long. Many creatures lurked in the darkness underground, even in Er Rai, and the dark elves of these caves managed to survive this long. He would do well not to underestimate them, though his confidence in his own abilities had heightened the moment they entered the caves. 

Varia's brow twitched at the sight, his nose scrunching as if he expected an odor, but none came. They were cave dwellers, it shouldn't have surprised him that they weren't as attractive as wood elves. Varia could see two more pairs of eyes reflecting his torch a bit further back, but he felt more moments ago. “The woodlings care for little truth outside their own. But we may tell ours to you, for a price. You have brought a shadow walker. We have need of his power.” 

Varia's eyes narrowed as the elf spoke of him, and using his powers. Maddox had warned him of his, the Dark elves were power hungry and sought out dark magic. There had been a concern that they would try and steal Varia away for Dor’Goth, and Dor’Goth combined with his own powers was an even more dangerous situation. However, Varia wasn't particularly confident the dark elves would be able to take him on even if they tried. He could easily destroy them, especially down here in the dark. He had a control over himself that he hadn't felt before. He could feel the cave system, could feel how far it stretched. He could feel the elves as well, could sense their fear and apprehension as well as their excitement. They couldn't take him, even if they wanted to. 

"And what sort of need do you have for me?" Varia asked, shoving his murderous thoughts and intent to the back of his mind. He was here for a reason, and one that was not meant to end in blood shed, no matter how he wanted it to. He had to return, and he had to return in good graces. If Maddox believed the wood elves would be able to seal Dor’Goth, he couldn't screw it up by attacking the stunted creatures before him. 

There was a pause, before Varia turned his head to Brom, his eyebrows furrowed. He hadn't realized it until just then… but the elf had spoken to Brom in elvish. Varia did not know elvish, none of it. It was a complicated language, and by the time Arcturus thought to teach him words of other species, he was already hardened by war, and too busy to sit down and learn. He shouldn't have understood the elf, and even then as he tried to recall the words, he couldn't. He spoke several languages, many forms of Arcturian, and Er Rian, as well as several forms of Nihalian. But elvish… never. He looked to Brom, as if he had expected Brom to translate for him, though his eyes spoke his sudden concern. 

He was gaining some of Dor’Goths knowledge on top of the boost in his own power. He felt in control of his own mind at the moment, though the tug of the dark was there. He had to stay in control, he couldn't let the darkness take over his mind and actions. He had a mission, and he intended to complete it, and return to Maddox. The two elves that stood back from them whispered to each other, drawing Varia's attention. He couldn't understand them now. That ability had been lost all of a sudden. 

"Keep your eyes on me. He's affecting me a bit." Varia whispered in Arcturian, his voice low. He didn't need to elaborate any more, Brom would know. Brom was the one who mentioned it first. Unfortunately, he wasn't certain Brom would be able to stop him if he had an episode, not here. Not now. 

The elves stopped whispering, the volume too low for even Brom to catch. “Come, we will show you. Our people are beset with the shadow illness. The shadow-walker will understand. Come.” Brom translated to Varia in Arcturian.

The elves led them to a large chamber carved into a dome shape and littered with perfect holes. It was like a honeycomb and hive. The space was dotted with larger holes such as they one they exited from, denoting tunnels. There were hundreds, if not thousands of dark elves just waiting to pounce. Demon or no, if this erupted in violence, it would be difficult to make it out in one piece A large opening in the center threw moonlight everywhere, refracted by polished gem mirrors. Varia wondered why that would be so when the Elves were keen on darkness, but the answer soon became clear. Unlike their escorts there were several elves that showed themselves with features more akin to the wood elves. Their ears and eyes were bigger, their skin the same greyish hue, but they could clearly see the newcomers. Brom extinguished his torch and pulled a cloth around his nose and mouth. There was sickness here, he could smell it. The majority of the ill didn’t seem to be in this space, but some here too were infected. His eyes darted around, trying to find evidence of what he knew existed, but there was nothing save the smell. A good looking dark elf was striding towards them with an air of importance and Varia immediately disliked the man.

He stood upright, red eyes bright against the dim light of the moon. Silver hair brushed down his shoulders, resting against his back. He was barely dressed, much to Varia's displeasure. The man approached them, a hand raising up in a sort of greeting, before placing it across his chest, giving the two a slight bow. "Greetings, shadow-walker." He spoke, his dark elvish definitely more highborn than the guttural and rough language the others had spoke. Varia eyed the man who now stood before him, his eyebrow twitching in annoyance, before he glanced to Brom. Whatever had taken over him, allowing him to understand the dark elves had left him, and he was in the dark once again. The elf glanced between the pair, his eyes crinkling in amusement, before he straightened himself, easily dwarfing Varia. "My name is Ailmar, son of Alire. We have been waiting for you, Demon." He said in Arcturian, his hand opening to Varia, an invitation of sorts.

Varia scowled, his eyes flickering down to the hand offered to him, before ignoring it, looking around the cavern briefly once more. The chattering from the other elves in there had quieted the moment this… Ailmar spoke, leaving them in a silence as Varia pondered his words. He wasn't certain who Ailmar was speaking to, if he was referring to the Demon of Arcturus, or if he was attempting to speak directly to Dor’Goth. His eyes finally found their way back to the scantily clad elven lord, or whatever he was. "Well I've arrived, though you could have gotten my attention in a less hostile way. What is it you creatures want from us?" 

Ailmar watched Varia, his lips pulled back in a smile that was both kind and unnerving at once. "Us? Is it us already, Varia, Demon of Arcturus, Commander of the Arcturian military? Has your demon made himself at home finally? Taken you over as his host?" Varia's gaze grew less bright as the man spoke, his expression dropping into one of annoyance rather than his usually scowled expression. "Perhaps you would like to find out, Ailmar, son of Alire? I was called Demon long before Dor’Goth joined me. You would do well to remember that. What is Shadow-sickness, and why do you need me to help?" 

"There is a Demon here. Not unlike the monster dwelling inside of you. He is much weaker, though us elves are more susceptible to dark magic and possession. He has spread his influence through my people, spreading his madness like a fire. While he is weak, he is still a demon. We cannot defeat him, but you can. Shadow-Walker, we need you, not the Demon inside of you." Ailmar’s voice was laced with amusement at Varias attitude, and it only pissed Varia off more.

Varia watched Ailmar as he spoke at first, before his head turned, gazing around the cavern once again. He had felt a darkness here, one that he hadn't felt before. So that was shadow sickness. It was a madness that took over when a demon was near. In Arcturus they called it something else, and it wasn't regarded as a sickness, not at first. It would eventually destroy it's host, but until then, the madness made them extremely dangerous and violent. Something Arcturus craved. They often would cast men into the dark caves there, leave them for days or even weeks, before they would drag the screaming animals from it, setting them upon their enemies as if they were wild dogs. Varia himself had sent men of his own to the caves of the Miarovo Mountains. Varia looked to Brom for a long moment, before he looked back to the elven man standing before him. “Take us to them.” 

As they came upon those quarantined, Varia was thankful that he was not a humanitarian. Hanging out of caves and cages made of bone, strewn about in various states of affliction were elves of every age. Some walked around with unfocused eyes, muttering to themselves. Others were attacking themselves against the floors and walls, while still others were raging against their confines. A few wandered off into the darkness, which seemed deeper and dark down one tunnel. That must be where the demon was. Was it eating the ones that walked down that way? Or was it just feeding on their madness? Varia tried not to look too closely, but it was hard to look away. 

He knew what sort of danger they were in just being here, especially with Dor’Goth dwelling in his gut. But the fact that these elves had been kept alive was something to consider. The elves clearly cared more for their people than Arcturus did, and the madness was frightening to them. Several hunched elves stood near the cages, their eyes focused elsewhere, though they couldn't see. Their faces were twisted in concern and fear, their ears and noses turned towards the others as they clawed and screeched, trying to escape. If the madness frightened them, Varia could use that if they absolutely needed to. “So for what reason did you cut down the Elder tree?” Brom asked, facing Ailmar again. 

Ailmar turned to face the two as they arrived, his back to the people, unwilling to watch them descend further. "The Elder trees hold a magic, a light magic. We thought it would help us ease their suffering. We were wrong, it only served to fuel the madness." Varia looked around the man, down towards the others. He could sense something down there with the elves. It was dark, only dim light filtering in from the rooms above, illuminating the gray skin and red eyes. And the blood. There was a lot of blood. Smeared against the walls and ground, staining the skin of the elves, reddening the white of their hair. Varia had seen the madness plenty of times, he had often been there when the men Arcturus would intentionally infect were thrown to the villages and towns that the council deemed unnecessary. But Arcturus had never allowed more than a few to become infected at one time. They were aggressive, violent, and extremely unpredictable. It was dangerous to have any, let alone this many alive at once. 

"You knew the Elder tree wouldn't help. You did it to draw our attention, and you've gotten it. You cannot save these people. Death is their only mercy. Let me down there, and I will cleanse this place for you." Ailmar was clearly taken back by Varia's words. He shouldn't have been, Varia was the Demon of Arcturus after all. Perhaps he thought the man would find a kinship with these elves, perhaps see something of himself within them. 

Ailmar was almost hesitant to allow the men below, and though his face spoke of his hesitation, his body moved aside, revealing the gate to enter the crater. Varia moved past, glancing briefly at Brom again. He could sense the demon below, he could almost see it. The shadows twitched unnaturally, reacting to Varias presence, twisting around their hosts and crawling up the walls. Varia had dealt with darkness like this before, and though he wasn't particularly confident in his ability to restrain himself, his feet moved on their own, carrying him down the stone stairs, descending towards the mad elves. Brom was with him, he knew that, but Ailmar stayed behind, pushing the gate closed behind them. 

The closer he drew to the middle, the darker the area became. The guards shifted back, before retreating into their respective holes in the walls, vanishing. Varia's hand moved to his sword, gripping it tightly despite his calm demeanor. The cloth on his wrist had begun to glow softly, alerting anyone who would notice of the dark presence nearby and within Varia.

The screeching and chattering from the mad elves was deafening, loudly echoing through the chasm. But as Varia stepped from the final step, a silence took them sharply. All the elves turned to them, eyes focused on the pair that had entered. The dark elves were blind, at least mostly, yet their eyes were focused on Varia and Brom, following them as they moved closer.

Varia felt a sudden fear grip him, a fear of losing himself to Dor’Goth. He could feel the Demon within him shifting, pushing to the surface, desperate now to escape. But his thoughts on his own affliction were torn as a voice sounded from the dark. 

_**"Uzg Bûrgulu-ob! Thrakatulûk, Sokanoth burzum-ishi krimpatul!"** _Varia flinched at the raspy voice from the darkness, not because of what it clearly was, but because of the words it spoke to him. He hadn't understood Dor’Goth when the demon spoke the same language as this creature, but he understood now. 

_'Welcome Lord! I am Sokanoth! I have heard of your conquests, and I am here to serve!'_

Varia watched the creature as it shifted forms, the shadows swirling around it, solidifying into a humanoid shape. The creature was tall, yet stunted, thin. Its ribs and sternum were visible from the black skin that stretched over it. Lesions covered its body, bright yellow eyes glistening from the long face, a face that resembled a steer, yet twisted and gnarled. Large teeth hung from it's thin lips, its ears clipped and tattered. Its neck was long, a thick mane falling down it's bony shoulders, knees turned the wrong way. This was a Demon, though not one like Dor’Goth. This demon was low ranked, able to influence and possess the dark elves, but unable to do much besides that. The demon moved forward, hooves clacking against the ground as it crouched below Varia, though it made sure to keep its distance. 

_"My lord. Use my subjects and I as you see fit."_ It spoke, in the same black speech from before. Varia's fist tightened over his sword, so much so it would have been painful if he could feel in that moment. The cloth on his wrist was now glowing brightly, pulsing against the dark of the room. But he didn't notice, his eyes were focused instead on the disgusting creature knelt before him. The ice in his eyes pierced through the darkness, seeming to glow in the dim light of the cavern. The demons head bowed before him, and Varia felt so powerful. He was offering him demons, an army if he so chose. He could destroy Arcturus, destroy Er Rai, Nihal. He could rule the ashes, sitting upon a throne of corpses. He would no longer be used by others, never again beaten, raped, sold. The world would burn with him leading the charge. 

The room had darkened once more, the only light emitting from the band on Varia's wrist, the light pulsing rapidly now, almost desperately. "I do not want the elves. Release them." He spoke in Arcturian still, but his voice was low. It still sounded like him, but there was something off, something different in his tone, something dark. He was aware of his tone, aware that something was wrong, yet unable to prevent it. Sokanoth slid back from Varia, nodding to him as he spoke. "Yes, yes, of course! My lord needs better servants, much better than these filthy elves!" He said, his hands palm up to Varia as he cowered from the man, sliding back on his haunches towards the elves. 

As if a switch went off, the mad elves collapsed all at once, some that had climbed the confines of their makeshift prisons slamming into the ground. Varia watched, the shadows around him pulsing with every beat of his human heart. He didn't want them to move. They were weak, filthy. 

_Would it be mercy to kill them all?_

**_Most certainly._ **

Once his reign began, the world would be cast into shadows. No matter how deep the elves dug, they wouldn't escape his wrath. No one would. No one was safe, no one would be spared. In that brief moment, down in the darkness of the tunnels, with demons and elves declaring allegiance to him he forgot his friends. He forgot Brom, he forgot Maddox. He forgot what the sun looked like, how freedom felt. He forgot his purpose, his feelings, all he knew was rage.

He heard a shift behind him, and he turned his head, shooting a glance over his shoulder to Brom. He even appeared differently, his usually attractive features marred with darkness and hate. Shadows had begun to blacken the area around his eyes, and his eyes were distant, landing on Brom as if he were a stranger. His eyes lingered for a long moment, taking in the mans position behind him. He was close, and though he didn't appear to be ready to fight, he was tense, rigid. Varia's eyes moved down his body, focusing on his feet. He could feel his pulse, his breath, every small shift of his muscle as the man prepared for the inevitable. 

_I will not disappoint him._

His eyes didn't shift, neither did his body, but the shadows around Brom suddenly stopped all movement, the lull lasting several long moments, before the suddenly erupted around him, attempting to impale the man. 

  
\- Brom -

The first sign that this was not where he wanted to be was when the hush descended over the mad elves as he and Varia reached the cave floor. Brom already thought the elves creepy as shit, but having their undivided attention was immeasurably worse. Granted, even though their attention was likely more on Varia than himself, because he was in the strike zone that didn’t make him feel much better. It wasn’t even as if they were all watching. Most were blind, but their milky eyes were following the pair as intently as if they had the keenest sight. Brom found himself unconsciously willing himself to move quieter, breathe more shallowly and fade into the oppressive silence and darkness. The second sign was the voice that did speak with the third sign being the creature that owned said voice emerging. Brom had only caught a snippet of the conversation before when Varia had been attacked, but he recognized it instantly when this creature spoke it. 

While they had been told that the creature dwelling here was a demon Brom realized that until now he had held on to the hope that the elves had been mistaken, had misnamed some other creature of calamity that was much easier to deal with. 

_No, it’s another fucking demon._

Though this one had more corporeal form than the one in Varia. More than focusing on the Demon and its words, Brom watched the space around it, the dirt under its feet and the air around it. He needed confirmation that it was more solid than the last. And it was, thank heavens. As the creature spoke Brom slowly slid the elves blades from his belt, holding them behind his back.

Perhaps he should have been paying more attention though, for something came over Varia and Brom instantly became more alert. Because he was conditioned to watch for when Varia went into his fits and to be attuned to his shadows for such change, the sudden hostility aimed towards him did not catch him as off-guard as it might have another. He should have noticed it earlier, the pulsation from the charm Maddox had tied to Varia’s wrist an indication that something was amiss. Brom didn’t know how much more juice that thing had, but he hoped it would last long enough for them to get distance from this toxic place. A slight change in temperature always accompanied Varia’s power over shadows. A slight chill around his feet warned him but even then he almost didn’t move away in time to avoid being impaled.

Brom cursed as he landed on his feet, crouched low, the enchanted daggers in either hand, glowing ominously. “Varia! That’s enough of this! This is not why you are here, it’s a trap and you know it!” Brom shouted to his friend, not knowing the other could even hear him. Another brush of cold and Brom dodged again as another sharp tendril came at him, though this time he swung at it, a small hiss indicating connection and that the shadows were not completely Varia’s own. 

“I thought you weren’t going to let them use you!” Brom continued, watching Varia but also keeping an eye on the demon behind him. This whole thing was a set up and Brom intended that at least some would die before they returned to the wood elves. “Are you going to let a few sweet words sway you? For what? Another kingdom of death and ice? For that we could have just stayed in Arcturus!” Brom dodged again before rushing forward, feinting away from Varia and slicing the dagger towards the demon. It blocked with shadowed talons, but hiss and recoiled at the enchantment. “Between the current options the one we just left, though an ass is at least more attractive. Varia! Break it’s hold!” Or Brom would have to attempt to break its hold for him. And he was not sure he was capable of such a thing.

Brom detoured from defense against Varia to attacking the demon, who thankfully seemed not to have the control over shadows that Varia did. Of course, that didn’t mean that the demon was weak or easy to hit. Brom had to remain wary of its long fingers and horns as he got in close to slice across its skin. This would be so much easier if Maddox were here or Varia not insane. Brom was beginning to miss the days when all he killed were humans and the odd trained beast.

Brom knew he could not stand against Varia even when Varia was in his right mind. He countered his episodes by providing an outlet, not by force. He could not stand to a Varia lost. His confidence in Varia was waning, and he was not sure Varia could come out of this, not with so many outside forces driving him to madness.

  
\- Varia -

Varia's eyes were closed, a soft breeze brushing against his face gently. Everything was so quiet and peaceful there, he'd never seen this place like this. The cold filled his lungs with each breath, a welcome change from the heat he imagined recently. Eyes opened, and instead of a dark cave full of mad elves and demons, he was back home. He stood in the great fortress of Mal’Dyr, his hands gripping the icy stone that made his walls. Below him was a vast, white world, stretching as far as the eye could see. The sun was just beginning it's climb, barely breaching the tops of the snowy caps that surrounded Varia's hold. Light glistened off the snow, flashing an array of colors. There he stood, for hours it felt, just watching the sun cast it's light across the land, warming the empty halls of Mal’Dyr.

He was safe here, alone. Nothing could get to him, nothing could hurt him anymore. His hold was empty, he knew that. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he did. It was almost lonely. But it was so quiet. He had no worries, no voices whispering nightmares at him, no demons trying to take him. There was nothing wrong with staying for a bit longer. Another breeze blew in from the dark peaks behind him, rushing past him with more force than before. This breeze was icy, biting him down to the bone. Varia broke his gaze with the landscape, his head turning back.

The mountains behind him were dark, ominous. Black clouds swirled overhead, moving closer with every passing moment. The rumble of distant thunder drummed in his ears. Something about them immediately put Varia on edge, immediately caused him to become very aware of where he was. His head turned, taking in the fortress. It was Mal’Dyr, but the stone of his walls had begun to crack under some immense pressure. On the ground below lay hundreds, no, thousands of bodies, too far away to identify, but close enough that the snow and ice didn't hide what they were. It made his stomach twist, wondering just who was down there, how many of those bodies were men he knew.

But Varia just turned around, once again gazing out into the snowy land, his mind calm, despite his world slowly crumbling around him. Another breeze blew past him again, but this time something came with it. His eyebrows twitched in recognition of the voice he heard. His head turned again, the hold this land held on him suddenly quaking. Another voice came from the mountains again, the words frantic and loud, but nothing he could understand yet. But it was familiar. Varia glanced over his shoulder at the scenic view he had been gazing at moments before, before his feet pushed forward, towards the voice. He wasn't sure why it was calling to him so. Why he felt something within him stir when he heard it, why he was moving forward still. But the closer he drew to the mountains, the louder it became. 

_'I thought you weren't going to let them use you!'_ Varia stopped at that, his eyes narrowing. He recognized the voice, recognized the anger those words brought, but his mind still struggled to place the familiarity. 

His mind was still trapped here, in this place, with no memory of Brom, Maddox or their quest. All it knew was that this was home, nothing more. But that voice persisted. Varia lifted his hand, placing it against the mountain side, listening to the words intently. The words were inspiring plenty of feelings from him, anger, sadness, everything, but he did not know why. 

_'Varia! Break its hold!'_ Varia physically flinched at that, a heavy breath leaving him. That was him. That was his name. He was Varia, he was the Demon of Arcturus, and Arcturus had betrayed him, left him for dead. He was not here in Mal’Dyr, he was with Brom, and Maddox. Everything rushed back at once, Dor’Goth, the Graves, the Dark Elves, Maddox… 

_Maddox._

Varia's eyes shot down to his wrist, eyes wide as he realized the binding wasn't there. His hand lifted, as if he was going to inspect his wrist closer, before his vision blurred, a great flash taking over the world he was in. His eyes closed tightly, bracing for whatever was coming, before it settled. The quiet of the world he had just been in was gone, replaced with the sounds of blades slicing through the air.

Varia's eyes opened, landing on Brom as he lunged for the gnarled and disgusting demon once more. Sokanoth recoiled from the blow, before lashing out with it's talons, attempting to slice the man in two, but Brom was nimble, and he dodged the blow. Varia looked around briefly, before his hands moved to his own body, grabbing at his own wrist. The feel of cloth and blood filled his senses, and the sudden pain jolted him. His eyes lifted as the demon behind him gasped, before lifting further and settling on Ailmar.

Several men lined behind him, talismen and several, smaller enchanted items in their hands. They returned with every intention to capture Varia and Dor’Goth, and though Varia knew that coming into things, he felt his anger stir again. He stepped forward, blood dripping from his wrist to the ground before. The charm did it’s job, the glow and the pain was enough to keep Varia focused now. Dor’Goth’s influence faded completely and rage replaced it.

Ailmar stepped down closer to Varia, his arms stretched out in a greeting. "Welcome, Demon! Please accept the offerings behind you as greetings and thanks. We are here to loyally serve you, lord, in exchange for your assistance in destroying our foes." He spoke, lowering down into a deep bow upon the ledge where he stood.

Varia stared up at him, before his eyes moved along the gate. There were runes carved into it, no doubt done in an effort to keep the Demons locked within. But Varia was no actual Demon. The runes would not stop him, but Ailmar did not know that. Varia's hand lifted, stained with blood, slowly taking the latch to the gate. 

Ailmars eyes lifted, following Varia's hand. His eyes widened, and he attempted to gather himself to move away, but he was too slow. Varia slammed the latch up, the gate swinging open, and surged forward to smash his fist into Ailmars face viciously. Ailmar gasped in his surprise, eyes wide. His men saw what was happening, and had quickly deduced that Varia was no longer possessed, the small group fleeing back the way they came.

Ailmar clutched his nose, blood trickling from between his fingers as Varia descended upon him. "Please, please!" he got out in broken Arcturian as Varia grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt, pulling him into the gated area. The moment Dor’Goth's presence had vanished, the weaker demon had retreated to the furthest corner, it’s animal-esque legs pulled up to it's chest, small whimpers leaving it's throat. Brom had landed several blows, and Sokanoth was actively bleeding onto the floor, it's blood inky and thick. 

Varia hurled Ailmar onto the ground among the bodies of his people, before stepping over him towards the demon. He gently caught Broms arm, pulling him back. "They will never recover from the madness, will they, Demon?" he asked, addressing the creature. The demon lifted it's head, locking it's eyes with Varia's before it shook it's head. "No, L-Lord. They will never recover. The elf knew that when he trapped me here." Varia was quiet after that, allowing the hoarse words to sink in. Ailmar had intentionally trapped Sokanoth here, and intentionally lured his people down into the depths and tainted them. He wanted Varia to come, he wanted to trap Dor’Goth, and use him against the rest of the world. Varia cast a vicious glare across to Ailmar as the man groveled before the sight of Sokanoth.

"You lured your own people down here? For what purpose?" Varia asked. Ailmars eyes flickered from the demon to Varia. "For you. For you and the demon inside of you. The wood elves want to kill you, the Light elves will want to kill you, but we… we desire you. We want you alive, alive and well. We are not your enemies, Varia. I am not." Ailmar said, holding his hands towards Varia. 

Varia watched him as he spoke, before his eyes flickered to Brom. He had been so determined to not allow his anger and homicidal tendencies to surface here, not on such an important trip, but leaving Ailmar alive would be a mistake that would surely haunt him. He could see it in Broms eyes, in his gaze. And then a slight nod of the head. He agreed with him, and that was the only urging Varia needed. 

He turned back to Sokanoth, the shadows swirling up and securing Ailmar to the ground as the man tried to stand. "I have a proposition for you, demon. I will allow you to live, and I will release you from this prison. Allow these people to wake. They are lost, I know that, but I will not sully my hands with his blood." 

Sokanoths eyes focused on Varia, studying him, considering the mans words, before Sokanoths head pivoted to Ailmar as the man let out a soft cry, pulling desperately against the shadowy restraints that now held him steady. He was knelt between the bodies of the people he had thrown to the demon. Slowly, painfully, the demon lifted his arms, gooey blood falling from his fresh wounds. As his arms raised, the dark elves struck with the madness did as well. They were still quiet, their eyes turned towards the demon, ignoring the others completely. "Remove the runes trapping me here, and I will allow these souls to perish with the man who gave them this affliction." he said to Varia.

Varia glanced to Ailmar, before turning, moving from the quarantined area, Brom following him quietly. Ailmar turned his head, yanking against the shadows. "You cannot leave me here! Release me at once, Demon!" he roared to Varia as the man clicked the gate closed behind him. Varia turned, his hand sliding up to the runes carved on the gate. His eyes were focused on Sokanoths, the two staring at each other, waiting for one of them to keep their word, each one focused as Ailmar shouted. 

"Listen to me! Do as I command, Demon! Without us, the demon inside of you will kill you! You need me!" he roared. That got Varia's attention finally. His eyes dropped down to Ailmar, narrowing at the man. "You do not own me, Elf." he said, before the area beneath his hand flashed, the rune he had touched shattering as he pushed the shadows into it. 

Sokanoth grinned it's toothy, rotting grin as it was released, nodding it's head up to Varia. "The Demon of Arcturus, a man of his word. You are much more worthy than these elves thought." He spoke, before he flipped his hand towards Ailmar. As he did, the elves that had been infected turned at once, their eyes wide with their madness. There was a stillness for a long moment, Sokanoth giving Varia a mock bow, before vanishing into the ground where he stood. His presence immediately left the area, the darkness that shrouded the cavern lifting slightly, allowing more light to filter in through the ceiling. Small tendrils of shadows wrapped around the latch of the gate, twisting and gnarling the metal until it was completely warped, assuring the mad elves would not be able to escape. 

The elves with the sickness circled Ailmar, crouching near him. The man lifted his arm in an attempt to lash out, but the shadows curled around his arms as well, yanking them down to the ground and securing him in place once more. He let out a cry, his body flexing against the restraints, but to no avail. The more he moved, the more the sick elves seemed to take an interest in him. They inched closer to him, small hands reaching out to grab at his skin, softly at first, before their long, curved nails began to dig into his clothing, tearing it from him. 

"Please! Please, please, please! Don't leave me here, please don't leave me here!" Ailmar begged back to Varia, though the restraints holding him to the ground did not allow him to turn to look at the man. The claws of the people he had sacrificed scraped at his skin, starting to leave small blood welts with every touch. Varia remained where he stood, watching Ailmar squirm through the bars of the gate, icy eyes glistening in the dim light. It seemed to take forever, but a sudden surge of movement caused the frenzy to begin. 

One of the elves had lurched forward without warning, sinking its teeth into the flesh of Ailmars shoulder. Blood spilled out over its mouth, staining Ailmars hair red. The resulting scream had triggered the other elves, and they had soon mobbed him, teeth and claws tearing and gnashing. Pieces of the mans clothes flung about the cavern wildly, blood spraying every which way as the others devoured him. His screams died down shortly after they began, though Varia felt he could have held on for a bit longer. 

Varia stood still for another long moment as the elves swarmed their prey, feasting on the flesh of their brother, before a deep sigh left him. He turned, looking to Brom, before he climbed the stairs. His body ached, and he could feel the weight of the enchantments wearing on him finally, a feeling he had grown used too, one that comforted him, one that reminded him when he was in control. The cloth on his wrist was withered now, hanging on by literal threads. It had done what it was meant to, but it was finished. It was now soaked in Varia's blood from where it sliced into the mans skin, attempting to inflict enough pain to distract him from the demon. 

He could feel the dark elves retreating, slinking back into their holes, moving far from Varia and Brom. That was refreshing. Despite hardly attacking anything, or expending much power, he was exhausted. He was glad it was over, or at least appeared to be. He wasn't certain he would be able to fight of hoards of dark elves, desperate to avenge Ailmar. His eyes turned to the side, towards the wall as the shadows fluttered. 

Sokanoth appeared before them, half inside the wall, only it's arms and head facing them. "You have done me a service, human. I will repay you with information. Days ago, the man brought back something, something that effected me. It held a great power, and it hurt me so. Perhaps it is something you could use, little lord." He spoke, gesturing towards the small chest sitting on a small table near the three of them. 

Varia no longer was wary of Sokanoth, and at the words, Varia turned his head towards the box. He could feel something coming from it, something familiar. He stepped forward, placing his hand on the box. He felt his power immediately leave him, flushing from him. They hadn't completely destroyed the Elf they had cut down. There was something left of it, in this box. Something that still lived. He looked to Brom, a sudden ball of hope hitting him. He had been certain the outcome of this trip would not have pleased the wood elves. He had intended to return empty handed, only bringing information of yet another party trying to gain Varia's power for their own gain. He didn't know much of the elves, nor their magic, but perhaps this would bring them some solace. Perhaps it could be replanted, and regrow. He wasn't sure, but something about that discovery soothed his mind. 

He looked to Brom, pulling the box closer to himself. "We should return at once, before the dark elves decide to return." He said, before looking to Sokanoth. "Thank you." He said, receiving a nod in return, before Sokanoth vanished back into the darkness. Varia sighed, looking to Brom. "I'm sorry I attacked you." He said as he shifted the box under his arm, beginning to move back the way they came. 

“I get why Maddox hates caves.” Brom murmured as they walked back towards the entrance together. Varia snorted, exhausted, but that earned a small flicker of a smile. He did not respond, and soon they reached the small village where Brom secured a bath, food and bandages for Varia’s arm.

“I sent the call for the wood elves to come and retrieve us. They should be here by morning.” Brom murmured, wrapping bandages around Varia’s wounded arm, mouth full of potatoes and peas. “That demon did not tell us the entire truth. Dark elf hordes are usually several hundred thousand. There were barely a few thousand in that cave. Even if they knew as soon as the demon attacked you, no way their numbers dwindled that quickly. Not with how weak that demon appeared to be. There is more to the story, not the one the wood elves care about, but…. Do not trust that demon again if he appears.” Brom spoke softly, his eyes lifting briefly as Varia flinched.

Varia huffed through his nose, wiggling uncomfortably in his seat. “I did not trust Sokanoth to begin with.” He muttered, reaching across to peel a strip of steak from his plate and shoving it into his mouth. “I trusted his desire to be free. The elder heart was just a bonus.” Brom was right, though. There was something else, something that Varia chose not to see. Something that could complicate matters in the future, though unlikely. The dark elves, while vast in number, could not breach the surface except at night, and even then they were at a disadvantage not being in such a confined space where their clicks could echo throughout.

There was a reason they hadn’t been followed, and as much as Varia would imagine it was out of fear for him, it was more likely they feared the wood elves. The graves surrounded the small village, and considering all they had learned, it seemed the elves were on the brink of their own war. Thrusting themselves into a battle they would not win was stupid, and careless. Despite all of that, and the fact Varia made another enemy, his mind was focused on other things.

This purification. The closer it drew, the more concerned Varia became. “What happens if the ritual doesn’t work? What if instead of Dor’Goth and I both dying, Dor’Goth awakens and takes control. What then?” Varia asked, though he didn’t expect an answer. The wood elves did not crave the power of Dor’Goth like the dark elves did. There would be safeguards in place to prevent Dor’Goth from taking over. Maddox would be there, and if something went wrong he would be able to kill him. At least he hoped. Dor’Goth was powerful, but Varia was not certain just how powerful he was. He was ancient, and typically demons living for thousands of years did so because they were powerful.

They knew that already, but Dor’Goth had somehow pushed Varias mind into another place, into a dream. He was able to take control with very little motivation, and he wasn’t even awake. If the demon woke, Varia was no longer certain he could hold him back. He barely kept him at bay on this day. 

“I’m ready to sleep.” Varia spoke, downing the rest of his ale once Brom finished tending to him, grimacing at the taste, before standing. “I’ve barely been able to since this all began.” He said, running a hand against his face. His mind was quiet, save a few, stray whispers. Maddoxs was not there to prevent sleep, and Dor’Goth was sleeping once more. Perhaps tonight he could rest. He stood still for a moment, gazing towards the stairs where his bed awaited him. “When he had taken me, Dor’Goth, it was not the thought of Maddox, or the thought of some mission for the elves that brought me back. It was you. Your influence over me has not waned after all.” 

Brom was silent for a long while, his gaze focused on the bandages he held. His gaze was distant, dark, but he finally smiled to Varia. It did not quite reach his eyes. “I just happened to be the one there. You didn’t want to be taken over so you came back. If it were Maddox you probably wouldn’t have slipped away in the first place.” Brom spoke without thinking about it and regretted it soon after. He finished his own drink and stretched, throwing Varia a light smile. “But I’m glad you listened to me for once. Now if only you would take a bath before bed.” Brom said, pushing Varia towards the baths 

  
\- Maddox -

Gold rimmed eyes opened and Maddox fixed his gaze on Cithrel, buried point first into the river bed as the waterfall cascaded over it. 

“I know. He’s coming back. I told you he would. Don’t get your hopes up. You wont be fed any time soon.” Maddox smirked as the sword resonated, the water around it billowing out and distorting. He blinked and the gold receded, Maddox rising to his feet and stretching. 

His body was thoroughly chilled from the shade of the half cave and the spray of the falls. He ducked out of it, pulling Cithrel free from the sand and soil. Viansola was on the shore, hands fold in front of her, waiting. She was still quite lovely, her age not showing on her skin. Though she was nearing a thousand years, she looked no older than a woman in her late forties or early fifties. Her eyes were creased in that forever smile she had as Maddox came closer, but she held up a hand to stop him. 

She waded into the water to him and he realized she wanted the roar of the falls to mask their words. “What news?” She asked, though he suspected she knew. “He is returning, I believe with the Elder heart.” Viansola nodded with something like relief. 

“What of the Other?” Maddox tilted his head slightly. “Sleeping still. He was felt but…” Maddox shrugged and Viansola pressed a finger to her mouth in thought. “The others will not stand for two of you. Even if you are proof it can be done.” Maddox frowned. “He doesn’t want any more whispers. I’ll make sure he knows the risks and that I am prepared.”

“You cannot protect him from the demon. He must do it himself.” A gentle hand rested on Maddox’s forearm, and he sighed. “It is not the demon he needs to be protected from.”

Viansola smiled once more, leaning up to press a gentle kiss to Maddox’s temple. “No, it is not.”

  



	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varia and Brom return to E'letaesi with the Elder Heart.
> 
> Viansola gives Brom and Sabre a lesson.
> 
> Maddox prepares Varia for the purification.

– Elder Zeale –

The caves were silent in the aftermath of Varia and Broms dive into them. The smell of moss and stone was gone, replaced with the overpowering scent of rotted flesh and blood. The dark elves fled, leaving behind only corpses and scraps of clothing. 

Zeale knew Varia was a terrible danger, as was Maddox. But this one could not control the demonic impulses as Viansolas golden child could. The light of her guard revealed a scene she never thought would fall upon the elves, whether they be cave dwellers or forest dwellers. Black streaks darkened grey stone, spreading along the floor and up the walls and ceiling. Dark elves remained trapped in the large cage made of bone, and the latch keeping them contained was gnarled and twisted, holding it firmly in place despite the attempts to open it. Most were dead, their small and frail bodies cast aside, curled into dark corners and left to rot. Few lived, but they were feral. They scratched the walls, screeching and reaching for the warm flesh of her and her guards. 

A lump of flesh still sat among a wreckage of ribs and spine, blood seeping from the meat that remained. A hand, severed from the rest of the pile, was nearby. It’s fingers frozen in a clawed position, a white ring glistening against the light of their torches. The news of Ailmars demise was startling, and that is why she came. He was a terrible tempered man, cocky and dismissive, but he was royalty. He was trapped in there, with his own sickened people. 

“He cannot control the Other. During the ceremony, we will purge the world of them both.” She spoke, her voice a chime of bells, heavy with the loss of her cousins. 

– Brom –

“The Elder Heart.” Varia declared to Viansola, stepping beyond Broms side and holding the box before him. “The shadow sickness took the dark elves, blighted by a demon named Sokanoth. Ailmar trapped the demon and infected his own people. He is dead.”

_Not the entire truth, but truth enough._

  
Brom thought he’d be relieved to see the wood elves, and in a way he was. Their return meant that the mission was completed and he could get a good nights sleep without having to worry about someone or something trying to kill him. Yet, the return of the wood elves meant the return of secrets too close to home, and more worry for Varia than he liked. There was a purification coming soon, in less than a weeks time, and after that they would be back in the world. 

Brom did not know what to expect after they left the elves. The smart play would be to find their allies or to make more. That would likely mean a trip to Nihal or to one of the lesser known places Maddox cultivated friends. Most assuredly it meant weeks of travel, looking over his shoulder, and trying not to notice the growing attraction and feelings between his brother and Varia.

The hot bath and comfort of sleeping half buried in Varia’s back was a thing of the past. Brom would have liked the peaceful night to continue, but all too soon they were navigating the dense woods back to E’letaesi. He missed those days, even before the explosion, even before Varia turned his back on Arcturus. Before, when Maddox was his enemy, and when he was Varia’s only companion.

Despite this, Brom was on edge until Maddox came into view. When he did, he felt his shoulders relax a fraction. He was surprised at how glad he was to give care of Varia back to him. Having to watch Varia when it was his own demons was one thing, having to watch for him when there was another power at play was much different. 

The elves welcomed them with less warmth in their gazes than Maddox, but that was expected. He expected them to be less than thrilled to have Varia back. He was only slightly surprised when Sabre turned his nose to Varia, golden gaze marred with disgust. It was less anger than he normally regarded Varia with. He was likely glad Varia came back as he did. If Varia hadn’t, it would have boded ill for any future plans. Varia not returning would mean Dor’Goth took over and whatever hope they had of killing Varia was gone. 

He was surprised that Zeale was not there to greet them, only Viansola. She was there at Maddox’s side with her forever smile, which only grew as she spied the box in Varia’s outstretched hands. She took it almost reverently, opening it to confirm the contents. She looked relieved, and sad. Perhaps when the tree had elven form it was someone known to Viansola, the way she cradled it.

“It was suspected that one of the Deep Dwellers had betrayed their own. To think it was Ailmar… let us hope that this was but a failed experiment on his part, and that the rest of the horde is well. It is foul business to sell out your own kin.” Viansola spoke, with no small amount of venom in her tone. 

Brom took her to be a kindly mother type, but for a moment he could see in her something fiercer. He wondered if she might have been a warrior at one time.

She stepped close and lay a gentle hand against Varia’s cheek. “Thank you, Varia. You did well to return safely and to bring this young one back to us. I will repay this kindness.” She said with a smile, then taking her hand away. Her attention turned to Brom instead. “Come with me. I have a task for you.” she turned to Sabre after. “And you.”

Brom hesitated for a brief moment, his eyes moving to Maddox. His brothers gaze remained on Varia, who was looking less than please at what he likely took as fanfare. While he desired to relinquish care of Varia, he did not approve of the coupling. He did not like the look in his brothers eyes when he looked upon Varia. He relented, finally, and followed a petulant Sabre and a graceful Viansola deeper into E’letaesi.

“You’ve returned whole. I cannot say I expected that.” Sabre’s voice drew him from his wishful fantasies of a bed. “How bad was it? How long did it last?” 

He wanted to know what to expect. Brom knew the Nihalian was clever. Sabre knew it would not be easy. His possession was subject to continuous change. He considered his response, not wanting to tell Sabre anything that would harm Varia, but not wanting to leave him ignorant to the danger.

“It was short. Four minutes at most, shorter than his normal fits. There was no killing intent. The demon was not… wholly there. It could have been a lot worse.” Brom said honestly.

Varia tried to kill him, but he had not thrown **everything** he had at Brom. If he did, Brom would not be there now. Varia was not focused on killing Brom, his attacks were more akin to a natural response to stimuli. The battle inside of Varia’s mind was likely much worse. He did not fight Varia in the caves, nor did he fight the demon.

“Good. That means the demon is still weakened. Such a period should have been more than sufficient to subdue a consciousness if he had a mind to.” Viansola responded, drawing the willow curtains to the side. “In here.”

Brom felt the magic the moment they passed the entrance and was immediately on edge. “No need for fear. It is just a silencing spell so that we are not overheard.” She assured him with humor in her tone. It did nothing to silence his nerves.

The home spelled of patchouli and juniper. The home was two levels, the trunk spiraling upwards, surrounded by intricately carved spiral staircase. Sachets of drying herbs hung from the carved branches of the tree. A light haze hung in the air from herbs and resins that burned in the central fireplace, cleansing the air. Long strands of dense moss creeped in from the opened ceiling, dangling from the odd branches. Lichen lined the shelves carved into the tree, blooming from between old scrolls and small jars filled with arrays of colors. A low table, carved from the tree itself, came up near the fire, woven cushions on either side. A mortar and pestle sat on the table, a thick book, quill and ink. 

Viansola strode to the opposite end of the room, brushing her fingers against blooms of pale blue flowers. “There will be an attempt to purify Varia in a few days and it may require your help. I’ve heard that you two are quick studies and we do not have much time. I have a limited time to teach you both things you may need, and not just for the purification, but in the days to come.” 

Viansola placed the box with the Elder heart on the self, stroking the top of it gently before pulling three books and stepping to the table. She lowered herself to sit cross-legged upon one of the cushions. She did not seem offended when Brom and Sabre remained standing, instead spreading the books out before her.

“What will you be teaching us?” Brom asked, eyeing the title-less books. Viansola looked up to him and Sabre then, and again Brom got the impression that once, perhaps long ago, she was someone to fear.

“How to kill the people you love.”

Brom felt a chill at her words. Would he be expected to kill Varia? His eyes lifted to hers, and he knew the answer. If he needed to. They could not rely solely on Maddox any longer.

“I hold no lover for the little demon. Perhaps I am not the right person for this task.” Sabre spoke first, though his voice held no venom. He did not turn to leave, though, and Brom knew that he would not leave either.

Brom considered how Sabre thought. He did not hold love for Varia, but he did for Maddox. Their fates were intertwined now, despite how hard he and Brom both attempted to resist. Even now, Maddox likely wouldn’t fare well against Varia, and if the demon won they would be lost. Keeping Varia alive and in his own mind was in his best interest. And Sabre thought so as well. Viansola smiled at his words, but she did not speak. Sabre continued instead. 

“If the demon sleeps, will he wake during the ritual? Surely he will sense it and try and defend himself. We don’t know much of him, just that he is old and powerful.” Sabre finally sat across from Viansola, reaching a hand to trace a finger down the spine of one of the books. “Perhaps we can return to killing _people_ once this is over.”

Brom thought of that, briefly. He considered before that Dor’Goth was one of the ancients, one of the demon Gods that brought mankind to heel long ago. This was before humans developed powers of their own, before they found and harnessed magics. Demons were responsible for their own fall, breeding with humans and forcing them to carry their spawn. That is where people like Varia came from. Ancient blood lines, with the faintest trace of demon blood still coursing through them. He imagined how powerful Varia may have been if he were born during the time demon Gods sat upon their throne of corpses. If his blood had more power in it.

The thought was frightening. Viansolas eyes met his, and he lowered them from her gaze. He felt that she could hear his thoughts, and disapproved of that fear he felt. 

Viansola laughed at Sabres words, a light and airy sound full of mirth. “I should think you have been at his side long enough to know that while one may have a demon in body, the other gives him a run in spirit.”

Brom finally sat, and Viansola smiled at him. But it felt fake, forced. Her eyes did not crinkle the way they so often did, and Brom wondered why. She regarded Sabre much more warmly. “We know more than you think, though it is never enough. Demons are all similar, and yet each is unique enough to require their own entry.” She turned the pages of one of the books, stopping on one that held a familiar image to Brom.

“That’s the one that encountered us in the elven cave.” Brom said, notes of suprise and apprehension in his voice. Were they watched? He expected it when they left, but there was no trace of them being followed when they completed their task.

“Yes, he is known to us. It has been quite a while since he has shown himself. I suspect Dor’Goth is much different. It is unlikely something of his caliber has never come to the surface, though it may have been some time. In any case, we can expect him to react to the ritual, even try to stop it. Purification are intended to kill the demon.” She stopped turning pages at another image, one scrubbed with charcoal, blackening the pages, dripping from it. It even looked like Dor’Goth.

“If this demon is as I suspect, and if Zeale is as close hearted as I fear, more than a purification, this will be a binding.”

Brom scowled. “Hold on. If I recall, bindings are not reversible, especially to organic objects.” Viansola raised a brow, a brief flash of surprise flashing across her features. 

“He teaches you some things then. Yes, this is true, so-”

“So that would mean Varia would be stuck with that thing forever.” Brom didn’t like how this was going, and he suspected that Varia knew nothing of this prospect. Brom wondered if Maddox knew, and felt anger rising in his gut. Varia was lied to, again.

“What purpose would that serve? Has this not been your plan from the start?” Brom accused, to which Viansola rolled her eyes.

“We did not put that demon in the cave nor did we steer you into it. You seem to be under the impression that possession is like a wound you can stitch or else amputate and be done with it. Possession is a chronic illness. If you are not able to catch it early and cure it, then you are stuck. If Dor’Goth has taken too much a hold, or Varia too weak and Dor’Goth too powerful, then the only way to save him without killing him and releasing the demon is to make Varia his prison.”

Broms eyes fell back to the page ruined by blackness. Even the paper had a sense of malice to it, leaving him with a familiar, ominous feeling of dread. The darkness on the page seemed to swirl, a deep rumble filling his mind. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, and a gaping maw spread along the paper and drew him deeper into it.

“You mean to say that we’re going to be giving Varia access to this demons power rather than kill it?” Sabre, thankfully, snapped Broms attention away from the darkness. He turned his attention to Sabre, noting the anger that he now spoke with. 

“This… thing already has access to Varia’s power. I would imagine with practice Varia would have access to his. Maddox already has plans to empower the little shit more than he already is. We should not do this.”

Brom understood the apprehension. Sabre was not a warrior, he was a politician. He did not understand, nor wish to understand magic. Brom agreed. It was dark and horrifying. He did not know how far someone could push magics they did not understand. He did not know how powerful someone could become. Magic was widely unknown, and had a deep well of attributes attached to it. 

Varia and Maddox were something else entirely. They were not restrained by tomes and words. They were powerful, dangerous, but they were using their own being to attack. Mages didn’t, so long as they had resources they could continue an attack indefinitely. Men like Varia and Maddox were still men. They could grow tired. 

But as a demon… how could they expect to fight that? Varia was not someone that many would willingly engage with. Maddox was the only one who ever faced Varia without fear, and that was due to years of fighting him, and knowing Varia as well as he knew himself. 

Viansola closed the book, a smile on her lips once again. “Accessing a demons power is no easy feat and largely impossible. Much of their abilities are tied to the essence and cannot be used by humans in that way. He may buff his own powers, perhaps have enhanced senses, but he won’t be able to phase through walls or summon legions the way Dor’Goth can.” Viansola assured the other.

“All I need you to do is memorize these spells and be committed to containing Dor’Goth, to weakening him. Nothing else.” She became more thoughtful, and her eyes took on a look that suggested she knew one thing but would say another. “The Graves will weaken him as much as they can, yes. So long as we are in the open, I suspect Maddox will be fine. It would be better for all if Dor’Goth did not fully awaken. Even if we are able to defeat him, we may lose more than we gain. If you do not want a demon on the loose, then I expect you to commit yourselves to these studies.” 

Her tone did not leave room for arguing, and though Brom had many protests, he would save them for now. Viansola opened a second book, and began to recite the instructions. 

  
– Varia –

Maddox remained behind when Viansola stole Sabre and Brom away. He motioned Varia to follow him, to a new hut they were given. It was closer to the village than the last one. Varia wondered if they knew that Dor’Goth took him when he was gone. If they knew, would they allow him to be so close?

Once inside, Maddox took his injured arm in hand, feeling it over gingerly. “With how hard this went to work, I confess to being shocked to see you back. I didn’t doubt it, but still seeing the reality is something different.” Maddox looked into his eyes, his hand lifting to brush fingers against his cheeks. “Thank you… for coming back. I know it was not an easy choice.”

When Varia did not respond, he stepped back, gesturing towards his sword. “Tonight is the first of the full moon. We will purify and re-sheath Cithrel at the moons summit. You should come see, to see what a purification and binding look like so you know what to expect. I don’t want you to be blindsided and fight the ritual when you do not have to.”

Varia finally turned from Maddox, pulling his arm away from him and inspecting the new hut. It was largely the same, a single bed, a small table, two chairs and a single bookshelf. He felt his powers were more subdued there than the other hut, though he had no control over them in the Graves at all.

“I will be there.” He muttered, running a hand over his face. He leaned against the small shelf, his back turned to Maddox.

He was right, it was not an easy choice to return. He didn’t know why he did. He could blame it on the demon inside of him, blame it on having no where else to go, blame it on his promises to Maddox, but he wasn’t convinced of his own excuses.

Perhaps the other reason, the one he refused to say, that’s why his decision was so simple. But what happened in the caves shook him. He bore witness to many betrayals in his life, but Ailmar herding those people into those cages was unsettling. More than that, though, the thoughts and desire he felt when he was there.

The power. It was not something he was used to. He never wanted power, never wanted to rule. Arcturus took any notion of grander from him long ago.

“I should have known what was happening the moment we stepped into that place. I could… _feel_ everything. I knew where the elves were without seeing. I could feel them moving, breathing. I could feel their fear.” Varia whispered, nearly to himself. His eyes drifted to the bandages on his arm, and he slowly pulled them off.

Where the cloth lay now was a deep gouge, burned into his wrist. Red and angry still, reminding him of how he felt then. “When he took over, I was home. It felt so real… I could feel the cold, the ice in my lungs and the stone under my hands. I didn’t want to return, even once I realized what was happening.” Varia grew quiet. How could he say that he enjoyed the power he felt? That he enjoyed the fear he felt?

“What if I’m not strong enough to fight him? What if the ritual kills me? What becomes of you and your quest? I am not what you need, not like this.” Self loathing was not a personality trait that Varia often expressed, or had. The feeling of uselessness was a terrifying one, and if he could not be what was needed, then what would become of him? 

He felt Maddox step behind him, felt his arms slowly wrap around his back. Maddox pressed his face against the top of Varia’s head, drawing a deep breath. “It is not the loss of my quest that is at stake if you should fail.” He said softly.

“I told you I will not let you fail. As it concerns my quest, that is the natural course of action. But that is not the promise you made to me, nor the one I will hold you to. You will defeat it, if for no other reason than you hate to be controlled, to admit defeat. You are not allowed to give in to its lies, to find solace in its illusions. If it is your desire to be of use to me, to return to the embrace of the ice, then you will not fall for such parlor tricks.” Maddox turned Varia in his arms, crouching to see eye to eye. 

“You promised to protect me. I’ve never taken you for a liar.”

Varia felt that now familiar surge of affection bloom in his chest. It was always brief, but he recognized it now. He lifted his hands, resting them on Maddox’s shoulders. He was briefly annoyed at the crouch, but it left once he allowed Maddox’s words to melt into him.

“I don’t think you need any protection, but if you insist on holding me to my word, then you will pay a price.” 

The humor he felt for the briefest of moments faded, and he considered Maddox. He did not lie to Brom. It was not thoughts of Maddox that snapped him from Dor’Goths illusion. Brom called to him, and Varia heard, but Maddox was on his mind. He thought that he could stay there forever and be completely alone pushed him to the present. He never was concerned about it before. He was always alone. Brom was a steadfast presence at his side, as were some of his men, but he never felt they would stay. No one stayed, everyone left, or died.

But not Maddox. He was always there, for so long he was there. He would stay forever if Varia allowed it. And he considered it more often than not.

Varia felt his gaze soften, and he gently brushed his lips against Maddox’s. “Hold me to my word. Do not let Dor’Goth take me. Do not let me fail, and I will do what you ask of me.” It was not a promise he could keep, and Maddox knew that. But he saw Maddox’s gaze soften as well, that mask he wore cracking as it so often did these past few days. 

He would do what was asked of him. As long as their paths were the same, as long as they both needed to see the fall of Arcturus, he would stay.

Maddox’s hands pulled Varia back to himself, pressing lips against his again. “You will. Until the end, or until you tell me you wish to fall to my sword.” Maddox pressed their lips together once again, then pulled away reluctantly.

“Come. There is a small feast before the purification.” 

Varia followed Maddox from their hut and into the trees. A hum filled the air, high and sweet. He caught glimpses of the Walkers among them, walking as they did through the trees and away from the village.

“No matter what happens, don’t leave this area, or step into the forest until everything is over.” Maddox warned, his hand closing around Varia’s and leading him further into the darkening forest. 

The clearing was well lit, Walkers moving through it with small balls of light. They lay them on sticks and they stay there, though Varia thought that the lights appeared alive. Others were laying blue paint in the grass, chanting in their haunting tones.

Maddox led them to a small table where the Walkers were laying out food. Their blind eyes turned towards the pair as they approached. “You have brought the Shadow Walker?” One asked, more curious than cautious. 

“He should see and understand.” Maddox replied to her. A few of the Walkers nodded and agreed. “He must eat of the fruits.” The woman gestured to the small feast laid out.

There was no meat, but the smell that wafted from the prepared dishes of vegetables and fruit was just as tantalizing. Maddox sat and pulled Varia to sit with him on a blanket of woven leaves.

“The food is to give you strength.” Maddox explained, taking a large leaf laden with food. Varia was given one as well, and he noted with curiosity that his had more than Maddox’s. 

Varia scrunched his nose, prodding at the fruits with a finger. “Eating this will help in destroying Dor’Goth?” he asked. 

Maddox hummed, peeling a fruit and biting into it. The juice slid down his chin and was chased by his tongue. “Not so much destroy… Demons are like parasites. When they find a host, they grow. Food like this make the body less hospitable to demons, loosening their hold on the physical as well as the mental body. It can sometimes make the difference in a ritual.” He explained.

Varia gazed down at the food, choosing a pointed yellow fruit with blue leaves and veins. He turned it over in his hand, before taking a bite. It tasted of citrus with that same earthy aftertaste everything here had. It was pleasant enough, and he continued it. “Will there be danger? To sheath a sword?" He asked.

Beyond them the Walkers bustled about, preparing for the ritual. Between the trees surrounding the clearing were trinkets hanging from the branches. They practically burst with power and emitted a soft blue glow. The trees bowed inwards, encasing them within. Varia titled his head back, searching for the stars that could normally be seen between the branches, but the Graves hid them from sight. Despite a growing unease in the back of his mind, Varia felt calm.

“Yes, there will be danger.” Maddox wiped his hands on his pants and turned as a small group of Walkers approached, holding a woven blanket of leaves and softened bark. Maddox took the cloth and wrapped it over Cithrel.

Cithrel responded with a loud, keening vibrate. All of the Walkers paused their work and looked in their direction. After a beat, they began moving again, but with a little more urgency.

“I will be in danger.” Maddox continued, stroking the sword gently, then turning to take another fruit. “The situation with Cithrel was not too different from yours. A demon, weaker, but not unlike the one in you took him. Ordinarily, if a purification cannot be done, there is a binding. You should know… there is a slim success rate for purification. Usually they need to be done very soon after the entity takes hold. If this demon is able to pull your consciousness, he may have too much of a hold… but we shall see.” Maddox paused again, pushing the food around his plate. “In bindings, the demon is bound to the person they have infected. The person becomes their prison and has to commit to a rigorous lifestyle. Meals of purification and rites of submission for years… but over time they can tame the demon, eventually purifying it.” 

Varia was poking at his food, rolling a carrot around the leaf plate before Maddox spoke. But what he said, what he implied pulled him from the lull he was experiencing and forced him back to reality and forced him to face the gravity of his situation. He dropped his fruit back onto his plate, his hands lifting to rub over his face. 

“Varia. I brought you here for two reasons. One, so that you know who...what it is you are aligning yourself with, and so that you can see and feel first hand what will likely be the solution for you. Viansola is concerned and thinks this the best course of action.” Maddox said, turning towards the him. The Walkers began to sing around them, a haunting, sad melody that seemed to be taken up by the trees as well. Maddox rose to his feet and held out his hand to Varia. “There is no small amount of trust I am asking of you in this and going forward. I will not let him take you. If you can believe my words, then take my hand.” 

He should have known. He should have known there was another possibility. He wasn’t strong enough for this, he couldn’t do it. He had been taken by Dor’Goth already once, and the damn thing was still sleeping. Expecting him to continue this fight, an even harder fight, for however long was asking too much. He didn’t want it. He expected either to die trying to kill Dor’Goth, or to kill him. 

_He lied._

Perhaps this was the plan. It wasn’t like Varia would know if this was his only choice. He wouldn't know if a purification would work or not, he totally relied on Maddox. Maddox, the man who intended to turn him loose on Arcturus. Maddox, the man who wanted his army, wanted his loyalty, wanted everything Varia could give. Perhaps what Varia could give wasn’t enough for him, perhaps he truly desired Dor’Goth. Perhaps it wasn’t a binding in the sense Maddox spoke of. Perhaps they would give Dor’Goth control. It may or may not be possible, but Varia wouldn't know. 

Varia couldn’t take his hand. He couldn’t trust Maddox, and Maddox should know that. But Varia had no other option but to stay with Maddox, to go with him into the dark, to stand by him. But he could never trust him. Varia rose to his feet, ignoring the hand offered to him, the harsh gaze that had been focused on Maddox finally breaking, instead looking around the clearing. Whatever was coming, it was time. “Let’s get on with it.” 

This could be the end, the beginning, or just an interlude, he did not know. Maddox was asking Varia to step into the dark, into the unknown with him, and Varia stepped passed him to move forward alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos are encouraged!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maddox re-sheathes Cithrel.
> 
> The time to purify Dor'Goth has arrived.

\- Maddox - 

If he were honest, Maddox did not expect Varia to be ok with what he said or to take his hand. If he were honest, the Varia he knew and had growing feelings for, would have told him to shove it up his ass, find another way. If he were honest, even given this, as Varia walked past his hand, ice in his eyes, Maddox felt a twinge of hurt. But he let it pass as his hand dropped and Varia was led to one side of the magic ring, and he to another. 

Varia was placed within a smaller circle or pressed leaves, flowers and vine, a cape of woven vines was wrapped around his shoulders and he was warned that he was not to leave that circle until one of the Walkers told him to. Two Walkers took up post on either side of him within their own circles, sitting in prayer pose facing Maddox. Maddox walked to his own circle with Cithrel, putting thoughts of Varia and his mistrust aside. There he removed his shirt and Walkers came to him with paint of more crushed flowers, bark and Grave-tree sap. They marked him over every visible surface with elvish and pre-elvish spells of containment and purification. The spells ran down his arms and legs, over his back, stopping just short of the Aesirian tattoo.

Once they were done the Walkers moved back to the edges of the larger circle with the others, all also covered in whorls and runes. A group of Walkers stood across from Maddox, not contained by a circle, completely naked and covered by a more complicated set of spells and whorls. The Walker that had tended to them the first night stood at the head of the five person group, holding a finely crafted sheath, made from the bark of a Grave-tree. Maddox knew it instantly and felt a sadness come over him.

“Do not be saddened by our Sister’s passing. She wished this as her rebirth. You will accept her will and offering.” The woman said.

Maddox looked at the sheath and remembered the woman he had met all those years ago. She had been sister to Viansola, mother of Cithrel. It was right that she would wish to take part in the purification of her son to the fullest extent, even after death. Maddox bowed his head in respect of her wishes, holding Cithrel up with both hands underneath the blanket of flowers.

“I accept her will and offering.” Maddox said softly, raising his head and gripping the sword hilt with both hands. “I am ready.” He told them. 

Everything from then on was in a language that not even Maddox knew. He understood the meaning intuitively, but could not have replicated the words the Walkers sung or mimicked the sounds that they made. It filled the Graves with its haunting melody, swirling in the clearing and settling over those in the clearing like a cloak of magic. Maddox felt it cover him and let it move him, breathing it in deeply. His hand rose under the blanket of willows covering Cithrel and slowly began to undo the bindings. He let them drop one by one, and as the last one fell a ripple of power went through the clearing. It was like a flexing, but only a small one, contained by the blanket over the sword. But its keening could be heard, slightly muffled, a tortured wailing of the damned, the tortured.

Maddox set his feet, as if preparing to spear the Walkers across from him through. Two Walkers from the group across came to one side, holding the edge of the woven blanket. They waited for the signal before slowly pulling it free. The effect was immediate. The woman and man were pushed back, the whorls on their skin glowing in reaction to the power that flexed around and at them. They remained where they fell, under the blanket of woven grass, unmoving. Maddox didn’t notice them. His entire focus was on the sword in his hands, the wailing in his ears, and the demon in his blood. 

The sword vibrated with intensity, making its own sound in addition to the keening the spirits inside it made. The normally white bone began to lace with gold and black, following the etched groves all the way up the handle. But it did not stop there. The black snaked around Maddox’s arms, moving more slowly but steadily, his eyes shifting to a deep gold. There was an audible shift in the singing from the Walkers as half of them began chanting. The three Walkers across from Maddox also had braced their feet as if to run into Maddox. But it was the sheath that was angled towards the sword point, and which was being rejected by the blade. A growling filled the clearing, coming from Maddox whose countenance began to shift in and out of a demonic overlay, though his stance never changed even as the Walkers moved closer. Only a deeper growl and the aura of the sword became visible, a dark wispy thing that swirled around the blade and Maddox, away from the encroaching sheath.

As the group move closer Maddox’s arms tensed with trying to keep the sword steady, from pushing him back away from the sheath and out of the circle. The growling and keening increased in pitch with every step forward the Walkers took. But through that another sound broke through, though only two heard its call.

**_“Brother! Awake Brother! Do not let them contain us! Come, be free!”_** A gravelly voice hissed towards Varia, curling around the outside of his circle. Shadowed hands scraped against an invisible barrier, trying to get to Varia, to Dor’Goth. **_“Shake off this mortal shell, brother. It will be your prison. It will be your doom. Come, let us show these young creatures what is to be feared!”_** The voice invited, stroking the barrier, looking for weak points.

“He is not interested in your propositions, demon.” Came Maddox’s voice, augmented but firm. “You shall find no camaraderie with him. You shall not have him. He is **MINE**!” Maddox growled, planting his feet more firmly.

The demon howled, the black spreading further, faster, through Maddox’s body, the whorls of spells flaring and burning away. The demon was pulled away, having to focus its attention on not being trapped, of which it had no choice. It seemed to go painstakingly slow, the re-sheathing. At some point the Walkers had to really push forward, more joining the group to push the sheath forward. Finally, with a final growl and cry of anguish, the tip of the sword entered the sheath. 

Then there was only the anguished wailing and a specter of an elf appeared at Maddox’s feet, body riddled with the small rivers of black and gold. He was disheveled, his hair unkempt, body unwashed and clothes torn. His eyes were wide and crazed, his fingers bloody and torn from scratching at his face. It was he that was keening, wailing, crying out for salvation and deliverance. None looked at him, though all knew he was there. Another figure appeared across from him, a woman, a Walker. She was bright and young, though there was an oldness about her as well. She opened her arms to the male, moving so slowly towards him until she finally took him in her arms as the sheathed snapped over the full blade of the sword. She held the male to her breast, rocking him gently until they faded.

The sword was sheathed, but the ritual had not ended. The two Walkers from before rose and brought the woven blanket, throwing it over the sheathed sword and wrapping it round as the thing shook in Maddox’s grasp. Once done they all moved back away from Maddox as he fell to his knees, one hand still gripping the sword as the other fisted the grass. The dark whorls had not receded though they had ceased. His irises were completely golden, flecked with his usual green, his teeth grit in pain and struggle. The Walkers were still chanting and singing, using their hands to draw symbols in the air. The forest around them swayed and shifted, the tree tops seeming to cave inwards towards Maddox, as if eager to see if he would win the struggle.

Behind and above him a creature appeared, like a tree come to life it had bark-like skin and vines for hair, it’s figure slim as a sapling, fingers twig thin and long, sharped to points. Those points hovered over Maddox, ready to strike him down if he could not turn the tide. Maddox felt warm, too warm. In his ears was a roaring like that of flames, a wailing unlike any heard on earth that pulled at his spirits and threatened to drown him. He vomited blood and sick mixed with the purifying foods he had ingested. His body felt heavy and weak, but he could not fall here. He could not succumb.

Cithrel needed him.

_Cithrel had his mother, even without Maddox he would be purified. The elves would see to it._

Sabre needed him.

_Sabre had his whores and his drink, a world of adventure waiting for him to detach from Maddox and find it._

Brom needed him.

_Brom had Varia and wanted little to do with a past he didn’t remember, a family he didn’t consider his own._

Varia needed him.

_Varia needed him._

Varia had no one. Varia was adrift, imprisoned as the Demon of Arcturus, to die in combat and never know other than violence and war.

**Varia needed him.**

Arcturus needed him. They needed to be set free. He had to set them free. 

A cold spread over his back, familiar and comforting. Maddox embraced it, let it cover him completely and knew no more. He slumped forward over the sword on his knees, a whispering wrapping around him, chasing the demon influence back through his veins and into the sword, claiming Maddox for its own once more.

A whispering that felt Varia and reached towards him, sliding through the barrier with ease and brushing against his skin with a familiar cold. It wrapped around him briefly before departing again, the tattoo on Maddox’s back fading again to dormancy. The tree guard retracted its talons and disappeared as Walkers moved forward and draped yet another woven blanket over Maddox, carefully rolling him onto his side and back, Cithrel on his chest, still wrapped and sheathed.

The Walkers on either side of Varia rose slowly and one came to him as the others joined the group that surrounded Maddox, hoisting him on a stretcher made of bark and vine.

“Come, but remain quiet until we return you to the village. Watch him. He will be unconscious for a few days but should wake before too long. His spirit will search for you. You should not be too far away.” She said quietly as she led Varia over to Maddox’s side, enclosing them both within the ring of Walkers as they carried Maddox back.

-Varia -

Varia was instructed to stay with Maddox while he recovered. It took so long, Varia was not certain that Maddox would wake in time for his purification. The ritual was shocking to him, he was certain he was watching Maddox die. The demon living within Cithrel, or the demon that was Cithrel, called to him, and he felt a pull deep inside, resonating with the words that were spoken to him.

Varia did not know how to wait for someone to wake. He never needed to before, never felt the need to stay and watch over another person.

_His spirit will search for mine… why mine? Of all the people and things Maddox should search for in his unconscious, why me?_

He knew Maddox lived, and he knew he would remain so, but the thought of the man never waking crossed him, lingering in his thoughts. 

“You cannot leave. You are not finished here. I need you here, to take Arcturus and to free me from the life they forced on me. You are mine, and I do not give you permission to go, not yet.” He whispered, his hand squeezing the others, his head leaning down to rest upon the bed near Maddoxs. He remained there, for nearly two days. Only leaving to bathe and eat, but always staying close.

-Maddox-

He was in the halls again. The same ones he had dreamed since he was a boy and which he found himself in from time to time. He knew these halls like the back of his hand, though he had never been to the real version. He knew where it was as surely as he knew the sun rose in the east. But he could not get there, not yet. But the dream was no less vivid than the real, the cool air ruffling his hair as he walked down the long foyer. 

Cool, never cold, despite being made of marble and ice. He was never cold here, always just slightly cool of comfortable. It had a lot to do with Her, he knew and didn’t mind it. He knew where She was as well. He always knew where She was even when he was awake, as She always knew where he was. Right now she was in the west tower.

As he thought it his feet landed at the bottom of the stairs and he began to climb up to her. She looked the same as she did when he was a kid. The same pale skin and alien blue eyes, long electric blue hair that always seemed to be floating as if in water or wind. She was tall, taller than he was, though sometimes she was shorter. She was never wearing discernable clothes but her body seemed to flow into some kind of dress, making her body smooth over the expected curves.

Maddox was never sure if she really had a sex or if she changed her body to what she thought made him feel most comfortable. She turned as he entered, her alien eyes assessing him in a way that would seem hostile if he didn’t know what she was feeling.

_“I felt another.”_ Was all she said as he came near. He smiled at her and went to the window, looking out over the sheer drop of ice below them. Her voice was smooth, but electric. It rippled through his body and gave him goosebumps, but he was used to that now.

“Varia. The Warrior.” He replied, leaning over the edge of the window past his point of balance. He wouldn’t fall, he never fell.

_“You will bring him.”_ It wasn’t a question, but he could hardly call it a command.

“He will come, but not because I compel him.” Maddox clarified, leaned back and moving away from the window to stand in front of her. He reached out towards her face and watched as her eyes narrowed to cat slits. She was always wary of being touched by him but she didn’t do anything as he stroked her cheek.

“When he comes he will bring something stronger for you.” Maddox said softly, taking his hand away. “I am sorry it is taking so long.” Maddox apologized. 

She rolled her eyes, or what he suspected what her version of it. _“Then finish things faster. I have no choice but to wait.”_

Maddox opened his mouth and then stopped as he felt his hand warm. He looked at it and closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling. A smile crossed his face and he opened his eyes.

_Varia_.

_“Will you betray me?”_ She asked suspiciously, tilting her head in a dangerous way.

“I cannot.” Maddox replied automatically. “Besides, he will not let me die until I free him and I cannot do so without you.” She looked unconvinced but didn’t press him further. Maddox closed his hand around the warmth in his. In the waking world his hand closed around Varia’s softly before going limp again.

Maddox smiled in the dream world again. “Shall we practice?”

Maddox woke the afternoon of Varia’s purification. He began to periodically wake for short periods, desperately searching for Varia if he was not near, before slipping back into unconscious. Maddox woke this time with a weight on his body, and familiar, wild hair tickling his cheeks.

It took a moment for him to orient himself and he nuzzled the top of Varia’s head before his stomach reminded him that he hadn’t eaten in days and needed to be replenished. But he ignored it another moment, fingers threading through Varia’s hair.

“They haven’t been mean to you as I slept I hope.” Maddox whispered, knowing the other was awake. “Have I missed anything?”

“No one, but your Nihalian is ever cross with me, and he does not concern me.” Varia mumbled against Maddoxs chest, his voice muffled. “I’ve been with you the past several days. If anything had happened, I would not have been aware.” Varia whispered, a hint of amusement in his voice. “But no, nothing important.”

It was to be expected that Sabre would bully the other. Maddox was sure that Viansola hadn’t helped in that regard and that she and the Walkers had prevented other than Varia from staying too close too long. That it was not Sabre at his side when he woke was evidence of that, as was the fact that Maddox did not recall the other being there any time he had woken. Sabre was likely to give him a good beating for all of this, especially for seeming to nearly die. The things Sabre was likely to beat him over would be increasing as they went forward. Maddox just hoped that a few months’ vacation in some place of debauchery would be enough to help ease the other’s annoyance. Maddox was equally surprised that Brom hadn’t come to spirit Varia away while Maddox was out of commission. He had seen how much Brom disliked the growing relationship between the two warriors. But if Varia had been at his side like this, perhaps Brom hadn’t had much of a say in the matter.

Varia retreated from Maddox’s chest, propping his chin on his hand, and eyeing him. “I knew if I came close like this, you would wake. The Hero of Er Rai, cuddling like a sweet wife.”

Maddox hummed in amusement at Varia’s words, for they implied that Varia was not also enjoying the cuddling. “I think it is more shocking that the Demon of Arcturus likes to be cuddled as a wife.” Maddox pointed out as he kissed the other’s temple, tightening his grasp before the other wiggled away.

While it was true that Maddox had cuddled many others in the past, Sabre chief among them, it was also true that he had not held the same feeling for them as he did for Varia. He could only hope that Varia could see that, knew that, even if Maddox never said in so many words. Maddox also hoped that Varia would remember that when things inevitably began to seem otherwise.

Love him, Sabre had said. As if the other knew anything about it. Maddox had likely loved Varia far longer than even he knew.

Maddox rolled onto his back, rubbing his face as the other spoke. He heard something move and opened his eyes to see the plate of food. His hands were moving before his mind even registered what was there. The sweet juices of the fruit had him moaning embarrassingly. He devoured the food as the other continued speaking, pausing in his chewing of a piece of bark.

“Tonight is my purification.” Varia said, picking through the foods on the tray, choosing a smaller, bite sized fruit. “I’ll have to leave shortly to bathe in some… pure pool. I’m assuming you’ll be joining me, despite our… limitations until after thus ritual.”

Maddox smirked, and nodded, but remained quite as he ate his fill. Once finished, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed. A few days unconscious meant that it took a moment for his legs to remember how to hold his weight and move. The blood rushed to his toes and Maddox waivered a moment, using Cithrel to steady himself. He did lean on Varia on the way out of the hut, but by the time they were walking towards the pool, he could carry his own.

Brom and Sabre were already there, finishing their purification when Varia and Maddox approached. Maddox grinned when spotting them, slapping a hand onto Sabres bared shoulder. “Hello friend! How have the last few days living as a monk treated you?” He teased.

Sabre groaned when Maddox approached and spoke to him, feigning annoyance, though the flash in his golden eyes told Maddox he had been concerned for him. “Oh yes, I quite like living like some holy man. Vows of celibacy, no drinking or smoking…. This has been the time of my life.” Sabre turned to face him proper when Maddox began to strip to join them. “Glad you decided to wake at the very last minute. Little psycho is getting purified tonight. We’ll need you there.”

Maddox shot a look to Sabre, noting the charmed and confident way he spoke, but also noting a sound of concern lacing his words. Maddox knew Sabre well, and he that he was worried Varia would not be able to hold his own against Dor’Goth again.

Varia was powerful, one of the most dangerous men alive, even if he was surprisingly passive lately. The calm meant nothing to Sabre. He spoke his concerns to Maddox many times. He could see it, the danger, and the hostility swirling in the icy depths of Varia’s eyes. He had not lashed out, he had not seemed like a threat lately, but Sabre surmised that that was because of where they were. Varia could not use his powers here. He was not confident that Maddox had ‘tamed’ Varia, as he often reminded him.

Maddox’s gaze lingered on his friend, watching as he settled back into the water and shooed a stray leaf away. Despite the calm of the pool, Sabre’s gaze lifted, sharp and hateful when Varia slipped into the water on the opposite side, near Brom. Maddox too entered the pool, sitting near enough Sabre that he could stop him if he suddenly sprang up to smack Varia around like he so clearly wanted to do.

Maddox had his own theory. Sabre did not like this ‘new’ Varia. He did not like seeing those human emotions in his eyes. It made him less of a monster. He was meant to be a demon. Meant to be a weapon in their battle against Arcturus. Steel was not meant to feel, to love, and Varia did.

"As much as I dislike you, Demon, do not lose. You're enough trouble as it is." Sabre spoke to Varia suddenly, lifting his head to scowl across to him.

Varia rubbed the water into his skin, not lifting his head to look at Sabre. "I will not lose, but not because you insist." Sabre turned his head to Maddox at the shitty tone Varia took with him, eyeing him briefly, before he leant back in the water.

"Arcturus would probably welcome the demon. They wouldn't welcome you. Perhaps he would be better for us." He mused to himself, leaning his head back against the shore. 

Varia's hands paused briefly against his arms, his eyes lifting to Sabre for a moment, before they lowered back, resuming his cleansing. Maddox also paused in his cleaning, thought he chose instead to listen to the banter. His eyes shifted to Sabre briefly, but he did not speak. He did not need to fight Varia’s battles for him, even against Sabre.

Maddox understood the hostility Sabre had, at least a bit. Varia had taken his friend from him, and he had no intention of returning him. Varia didn't say a word to Sabre, turning his eyes instead to Brom after his long silence. "If Dor’Goth begins to win, strike me down without hesitation. I will not be a puppet for the demon." He had said similar words to Maddox before, but Maddox was growing increasingly uneasy with the idea of killing Varia.

"It'll be fine, little psycho. No way your vengeful ass would ever allow someone to take any glory for you. We'll be in Arcturus before you know it, without that creepy demon. You're the only creepy demon we need so… can't bring your buddy with us." he said, his voice strained, as if even being slightly cordial with Varia brought him great stress.

Varia lifted his eyes, glancing at Sabre, before he shrugged. "There isn't room for another Demon among us. I'll let him know while he's trying to rip apart my soul and take over my body." Varia replied, splashing a bit of water across his face. 

Maddox continued to rub the herbs across his skin, savoring the light tingle the water gaze him. His demon was still close enough to the surface that the water directly affected it, but it felt nice. Especially after sleeping for several days. But he felt Broms eyes on him, and he was angry, staring at him with an unspoken accusation.

“You do intend to get rid of the demon, don’t you Maddox?” Brom finally asked outloud. Maddox looked up to him, a flash of cold hidden behind his normally warm and enigmatic gaze.

“Yes.” He replied simply. Brom narrowed his eyes, not accepting the answer he was given.

“But not here? Not with this ceremony? Viansola seems to think it is a pointless venture and we came here on your word that something could be done.” Brom continued.

Maddox ran a wet hand through his hair, looking at Brom with annoyance. “As I’ve told Varia, purifications are not sure things, especially the longer the demon has been entrenched. The risk to the host grows and with Dor’Goth already showing influence, a clean extraction is unlikely. Zeale wouldn’t mind that, killing two birds with one stone.”

“So what is the point of this? How do we get rid of Dor’Goth?” Brom snapped in return, his voice raising in frustration.

“The purification will weaken Dor’Goth at the very least, give Varia better control over himself and a way to keep the other at bay. There are other ways to extract and destroy the demon afterwards, but as it stands, he wouldn’t live that long if we leave it. Varia understands this. I’ve explained it to him.”

Brom did not like that answer, clearly. He narrowed his eyes at Maddox, and for a moment Maddox thought Brom may lunge at him. But instead, he turned to Varia instead. “Has he truly explained it to you? My brother has a nasty habit of explaining things ‘need to know’ and arbitrarily decides what that is. Has he explained the process here?”

Varia and Sabre both were still, watching the exchange. Varia’s eyes were leveled on Maddox, and they were angry once again. His gaze was filled with familiar distrust and suspicion, before he glanced to Brom.

“He has explained what he felt necessary to prepare me for what is to come. That is all.” Varia did not give either of them a bit of slack. “Regardless, I do not see another option.” He murmured, his voice low.

The tone shot a pang of hurt through Maddox’s chest. Varia was lost, unsure, and put his trust in Maddox to lead him where he needed to be. He was not betraying him, he needed to do this, to free Varia.

“We would be fools to think Dor’Goth should live. If the purification doesn’t work, the binding will hold him off long enough to find another option.” Sabre piped in, his gaze leveled on Brom. “Wood elves are not our only option, and their power is limited. If we bind Dor’Goth rather than destroy him for now, he’ll be weakened enough for our next attempt.”

To say that Maddox was purposely keeping ways to free Varia of Dor’Goth for his own gain, was untrue. When the demon had first inhabited Varia Maddox had every intention of ridding the group of the demon by purification or death. However, it was true that he was no longer doing everything in his power, including killing Varia, to get rid of Dor’Goth. He did have a purpose for the demon, a way to make its presence of use to him rather than a problem and burden.

It was also not entirely true that Maddox was keeping Varia alive only for the demon. The initial plan had been to turn Varia to their side in order to take control of the Legion. That was still largely the plan, though now Maddox had more personal interests in keeping the little man close. However, all of this was not to say that the presence of Dor’Goth did not now provide a significant incentive for Maddox to keep Varia close despite everything else. **SHE** needed Dor’Goth to heal and jumpstart her own magic. Maddox had intended to use the demon attached to Cithrel, but that one was by now too weak, a paltry snack for a ravenous hunger. Dor’Goth, however, would sate her hunger, would give her the second wind she needed to do what needed to be done. What it meant was that if a chance to destroy Dor’Goth completely arose Maddox was inclined to ignore it, provided that Varia could keep control over the demon. Maddox did need Dor’Goth, but he needed Varia a bit more. He could get another demon to feed Her, but there were not many other ways for him to obtain the Legion and get into Arcturus.

Despite his misgivings Varia trusted him, at least in this, and in ways that Brom would likely never understand or be able to compete with. Sabre would assume Maddox knew what he was doing and keep his mouth shut if he suspected the other didn’t. Maddox wasn’t sure if Sabre suspected that Maddox wanted Melkor, he probably did, but he was trying to convince the others otherwise anyway.

Neither Varia nor Brom seemed to accept Sabre’s explanation, but Varia appeared to be tired. That also gave Maddox pause. Was it him? Was it this plan? Was it the demon, this place? He was not sure, but it was concerning.

A groups of elves came and got Sabre and Brom to prepare them for their parts in the purification, leaving Varia and Maddox alone, thankfully, before the conversation could turn dark. Maddox could see a slight tremble in Varia’s hands and he knew he was fighting off an episode.

Maddox dipped under the water and ran a hand through his wet hair when he resurfaced, coming closer to Varia. He looked down at the other in the water, his head tilting slightly. “I still have reason to keep my promise, despite what my brother thinks. Do not let his words concern you. And in case you are curious as to whether there is truth in them….”

Maddox leaned down till his face was inches from Varia’s, his eyes meeting the other’s briefly as his own before they shifted slightly, the pupils becoming more feline as they closed and Maddox’s lips covered the others. 

The kiss was normal at first, but then frost flowed from Maddox over Varia’s tongue, down his throat and through his body. A soft voice whispered to him and wrapped itself around Dor’Goth.

_“It is mine. You are mine. You are **His**. You are ours. Warrior.”_ The voice whispered before fading along with the cold as Maddox pulled away. “You’ll be fine during the purification. Come on, the others are waiting. Let’s get you dressed and prepared.” Varia needed to be painted as Maddox had been to contain the demon inside him and weaken it during the ceremony.

-Varia-

Varia had allowed the kiss, allowed himself to melt into the other touch once again. It was their new normal it seemed. Whenever Varia began to doubt Maddox in his intentions, Maddox would remind him that his intentions were not entirely war, not any longer. Varia allowed it, because he wanted to, but he knew Maddox didn’t by it. The two of them trusted each other enough, but the many years of actively trying to murder one another were hard to erase. Varias own demons, his own betrayals at the hands of those he trusted above all else had begun to strengthen the wall around Varias heart and mind. He allowed Maddox in, but just a bit. Enough to keep the questions and suspicions at bay. 

He needed to get back to Arcturus, back home. That was why he was here. He wasn’t here for Maddox. He tried to remind himself of that often.

But something else had taken his thoughts from this moment. It wasn’t his usual self-doubt, and doubt in Maddoxs intentions. It was the cold, the voice that accompanied it. His eyes opened, focusing on Maddox as the man went about his business as if nothing had happened. He should have been alarmed. He absolutely should have been alarmed, but the voice was soothing in its own way, and he believed Maddox. He would be fine, somehow he knew that. His hand moved up as Maddox moved from him, grasping at his chest where the cold seeped into him. He didn’t move for a long moment after Maddox spoke to him, staring down towards the water.

He had always heard things others hadn’t. The voices had been with him for so long, they were apart of him now. But they weren’t true voices, not like what he had just heard. They were disembodied whispers, speaking in strange languages, screaming at him. They were his own thoughts, thoughts that were his own, but did not belong to him. They were a poor attempt to heal the wounds on his own mind, though they only served to make matters much worse. But THAT. That was not like the others. He heard her voice, he felt a presence, he felt her enter his body and push back against Dor’Goth influence. Perhaps it was more elven magic… his head turned to Maddox once he realized he was alone in the water.

He had never been overly vocal about what his mind did to itself. In Arcturus, the idea of someone having bouts of psychosis, or whatever this was, was punishable by death. Everything was generally punishable by death in Arcturus, but his superiors had known of Varias affliction. Battle fatigue, that’s what they called it. They had insisted Varia kept it to himself, even so young. He was never treated, only given an outlet for the extreme bouts of anger and violence he would experience. Brom was the closest thing to relief he had been given, aside from Maddox. His eyes shifted around the small area, before he stood from the water, following after Maddox without a single word. He wouldn’t speak on it. It felt physical, real, and foreign. Unlike the other voices. But he wasn’t convinced that it was anything real. And while it was alarming initially, it did not feel malicious, at least not towards him. Though somewhere deep inside of him, he could feel Dor’Goth growing restless.

The walkers were waiting for Varia, small bowls cupped in their frail hands, filled to the brim with red. At Maddoxs coaxing, Varia removed his shirt and pants, and allowed the women to surround him, small hands brushing over a small frame, painting symbols over pale flesh. His eyes followed their movements, his mouth turned down in annoyance. His head leant away from every touch to his neck and face. So much touching, lack of personal space. He could just as easily have painted himself. His annoyance was clear, noted by a few soft spoken words by the Walkers, but he remained still. Nearby, he heard Maddox snort in amusement.

Once the women moved away, he glanced back to Maddox. “Is there pain? Will I have to fight Dor’Goth as you fought Cithrels demon? Will he come out as Cithrels did?” he asked, stepping closer to him.

Maddox took a bowl, kneeling before Varia to continue drawing the whorls down Varia’s legs. He muttered strange words as he worked, before answering Varia’s question.

“Yes, it will hurt. Though what that pain will feel like, I cannot say. For me, it feels like burning. As if my body is of ice and there is heat melting and burning me away. But for you, it may be opposite, it may feel like a thousand needles, it may feel like a thousand other kinds of pain… it all depends on the demon inside of you and what your own nature is.” Maddox said, shifting to move around behind Varia, fingers tracing over his butt and thighs.

“As for a fight, you can expect one. The Demon will resist being confined, it will resist anything that resembles a purification or curtailing of its power. Take the demon into your hearth and resist him, he will fight you. It may not always seems like a fight in your mind. Sometimes they take you away to a familiar place, try to make you complacent and compliant. You must not let his influence win or cease to be aware of yourself and where you are or what is happening.

Maddox rose to his feet and came back around to face Varia, putting down the red paint and picking up a bowl of blue. He drew the symbol on his back on Varia’s forehead, on his chest over his heart, and on his abdomen.

“That was not the demon you saw, but Cithrel. The demon will not emerge from your body as that will make it more vulnerable to the ceremony. You need not worry. I will keep you safe. You will not feel cold as pain. If you feel cold, accept it. These marks will protect you. The cold will protect you. You belong to it much more than you belong to the shadows.” Maddox said softly, stepping close as if to kiss Varia though his lips remained just apart. “Come back to me.” Maddox ordered, eyes meeting the other’s before they were called to begin.

Varia heard his words, understood them, but the closer they drew to the event, the lower the sun dipped in the sky, the more his anxiety grew. But there was something else stirring within him. He felt Dor’Goths darkness pulsing and twisting. Dor’Goth was readying himself as much as Varia was, and he did not know who would be more prepared. But he knew it would be a fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and Kudos are very encouraged, as usual!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group attempts to bind Dor'Goth to Varia.

Maddox walked with Varia to a similar clearing as the one he had used, though this one was larger and the trees stretched over it to block out the sky. A natural cave. They were taking no chances then. Maddox idly wondered whether it had been Zeale or Viansola’s idea to trap Varia so.   
  
As they walked Maddox took blue crushed paint and mirrored the marks he had put on Varia’s head, chest and stomach. They arrived at the clearing and saw that Sabre and Brom were there, also covered in paint, though less than Varia. Things were set up differently than with Maddox. There was still the outermost ring of Walkers at the edge of the clearing, but there was also a smaller ring of eight, one for each direction of the compass, that stood around Varia.   
  
Maddox, Brom, Sabre, and Viansola were in a ring outside of that one at each of the major cardinal points. The grounds were painted in elaborate concentric circles of power and the Walkers all took up chanting and humming that Maddox only faintly recognized   
  
“If he dies, I will kill you.” Brom told his brother, eyes on Varia. Maddox laughed as he took his place in the circle. “If he dies, you won’t need to. Have faith, little brother. I’ve spent over a decade trying to kill Varia to no avail. I assure you it was not because it is his fate to die half naked in an elven forest because of a purification gone wrong.”   
  
Varia was taken to the center circle. His eyes met every face, lingering briefly, memorizing them. A flash of gold drew his eye, and he turned his gaze to watch Elder Zeale stride proudly into the clearing, taking her place beyond the circle, seated upon a twisted throne of vines and leaves. Her eyes met his, and held his gaze without fear.   
  
For a moment, Varia considered what that could mean. The last several times she had spoken to him, her eyes held disgust, contempt and no small amount of fear. Today that fear was gone. Though, he found that he did not care.   
  
He turned his eyes from her, all thoughts of a betrayal leaving him as he gazed upwards, to the curved and wicked looking trees above. It was dark there, and with the sun sinking, it was only growing darker. The Walkers set candles about, illuminating the area, but it was ripe with shadows. He wondered briefly if Dor’Goth would be unable to use his shadows here, just as Varia couldn’t. Somehow, he felt that he wouldn’t be contained in the same manner.   
  
A wave of fear washed over him quite suddenly, and he turned his eyes to Maddox. He had no control over Dor’Goth. The demon was barely awake and had taken him once already. What if he couldn’t escape this time? What if this was it? What if he failed?   
  
He was certain his doubt was clear and present on his face, and his lips parted as if he would protest, but he was not quick enough.   
  
The Walkers chanted, louder, more steady, drowning out any of the words he may have spoken. The Walkers nearest him chanted the loudest, their hands reaching out towards him, lowering and raising. Varia’s heart began to beat wildly in his chest, smashing against his sternum and threatening to tear right through his chest. The hair on the back of his neck raised, the haunting sounds flooding his senses and bringing him an intense feeling of dread.   
  
He could feel the magic of the Graves suddenly, pulsing and swelling around his bare feet, embracing him in a soothing light. It was nearly enough to quell his sudden terror. But he was not the only one who was disturbed by the chants, the magic.   
  
A deep rumble began inside of him, the sound of distant thunder, clashing and booming. His own, familiar voices, her voice, grew louder and louder, screaming in guttural and inhuman ways, drowning out the chants and songs of the elves. His eyes left Maddox suddenly, snapping to Brom instead, wide with fear.   
  
His hands reached up, clamping down over his ears, as if that would drown out the screams that echoed in his mind. This was the loudest they ever were, screeching their warnings, welcoming him to join them in their endless madness. He grit his teeth, yes closing tightly as he tried to maintain composure, before, suddenly, the screams and voices ceased. It was nearly a relief, but before he could even register the quiet, another spoke, awoken in the face of his demise.   
  
_**'I will break them all upon my will, though you think they are made of steel.'**_ The voice ripped through his mind, striking him down to his knees. It hurt. This was not like the other voices, this was him. He could no longer hear the chants of the elves, unsure if it was still even happening. Had they abandoned him?   
  
_**'You think they will shield you. My hate will pursue you to the ends of the world. None can save you from me.'**_  
  
Around him, the forest grew dark, darker than what it would be normally. The shadows pulsed through the trees, breathing, closing in on the clearing. Above the trees, clouds formed, swirling and churning, funneling down towards the small area, blotting the light from the moon and the dim pink from where the sun slipped below the hills to the west.   
  
The chants grew louder, equal in their task to expel the evil that was brewing before them. Sabres feet shifted backwards, as if preparing to run, but a sharp glance from Brom, and a soothing whisper from Viansola stayed him. Varia was clearly in distress, in pain, and the shadows were bubbling like a swamp. Zeale had shifted back into her seat attempting to lean back from the oppressive voice that now swept over the Graves.   
  
Where Varia knelt on the forest floor, a shadow formed behind him, tall, shifting. Crimson eyes peered out towards the elves, eyes flickering to each body one by one, before landing on Maddox. The red widened with anger, like a predator closing in on its prey, before it wisped away with a breeze.   
  
All was still, all was quiet for a moment. The shadows that darkened the area ceased, allowing the moonlight and the candles to illuminate the clearing once again. Sabre let out a heavy breath, turning his head as if he were going to speak, but a sickening squelch echoed loudly among the trees.   
  
Zeale was on her feet, thin fingers wrapping around the hilt of her short sword. Before them all, in the inner circle nearest Varia, a tendril of shadow pierced upwards, impaling straight through one of the Walkers. The chanting hadn’t stopped, despite the lost voice, but the scream was deafening. The Walker was lifted, the shadows sizzling and smoking where the ring began. It lifted the elf high above the others, undaunted by the screaming and the trashing. The shadow paused, as if waiting for all to see, before it split itself in two, and the woman with it, tearing her apart. Blood and innards coated the ground around Varia, falling from the sky, splattering on the other Walkers and participants in the ritual. Pieces of flesh and meat fell against the barrier around Varia, sliding down it as if it were glass.   
  
Sabre yelled, others screamed and panicked, but it was too late. The shadows around the circle Varia was enclosed in burst forth, freed from a binding restraint, and with a fury. They smashed into the inner circle of Walkers, tearing them down, ripping them, and smashing them to pulp. Pieces of elves flung wildly about, draping over trees others that ran. Blood stained the grass around them, screams joining the chorus of chants. The shadows slithered and reached for the second circle, but stopped short, flailing wildly as they tried to reach the other living beings.   
  
Beyond the raining gore, Varia was on his feet, hands cracking and twisting at his sides, controlling his shadows without any of the grace he normally had. His attacks were normally fluid, a craft perfected, but this was different. Savage as usual, but sloppy. Like it was the first time he was using his powers.   
  
Blood splashed across the barrier, across his vision, hissing and smoking as it landed on the invisible magic. The final Walker of the inner circle was before him now, chanting still, despite the blood and tears streaking down her face. She was not facing him, on her knees but facing the others, the ones who the shadows could not reach.   
  
Varia’s hand lifted, reaching for the Walker, but the barrier crackled, searing the flesh of his palm. He did not flinch, only pulled his hand back slowly, gazing down at the wound.   
  
His eyes were brimmed in darkness, feral murder glistening in his gaze. But it was no longer Varia that stood before them, only his body.   
  
**“Know me. Know me as your King, your God, the mightiest of all the ancient demons of this wretched world. The shadow of my purpose bends all mortals slowly and surely to my will. All whom you love, I will bring their doom. Wherever he goes, darkness shall rise. Whenever he speaks, his words will be poison. Whatsoever he does shall turn against him. He shall die without hope, cursing both life and death. I am Dor’Goth. Know me, and kneel.”**  
  
Varia spoke the words, his voice was his own, but something else lay behind his words. Another voice, a deep and harsh voice, a language not of the realm of man. The shadows in the area pulsed in recognition of their master, whispering and reaching towards him. His eyes were on Maddox, and Maddox alone. He could not breach the barrier, not yet, but the clash of thunder above them was a sure sign he was preparing to do just that.   
  
The elf before him was ripped forward, the shadows lifting her to the treetops, slamming her down before Maddox. Blood splashed upwards against his legs as the shadows tore into her broken body, shredding her flesh and bone like a ravenous dog.   
  
“He is lost.” Zeale spoke, before guard beside her, weapons drawn. “Strike the host down!” she ordered, her finger pushing out towards Maddox. “You brought this evil here, now strike him down!” she roared, her voice lifting beyond the chants and crashes.   
  
_Dramatic._  
  
That was the thought that popped into Maddox’s head as Dor’Goth took over and proceeded to murder and monologue. For sure his calm reaction was strange. He should have been more concerned, more alarmed that Dor’Goth had burst forth so violently and Varia seemingly succumbed so easily. But all he could think was that Varia had of course acquired the most diva of demons. It was more amusing than it was horrifying, but that was HER opinion more than his. Certainly it was Her looking through his eyes and coloring his thoughts as the other spoke. He could hear her running commentary to the things Dor’Goth said and it took some work not to crack a smile or, worse, let her speak freely. Instead he put his hands in his pockets, ignoring the blood and gore that decorated both.   
  
“Dramatic entrance, poetic and melodramatic monologue….I don’t think he’s worthy of you, Varia. Only eight...you’re losing your edge. You were worried about a demon like him? Surely you are laughing at yourself now.” Maddox said in a voice dripping in amusement and condescension. He sat in his circle, the blood of the Walkers seeping into his pants though he seemed not to notice. His eyes never left Varia’s though his hands were not idle in the blood under them. They were shaking, with rage or fear, he did not know. Her influence was not so strong his body would not react to what he felt then.   
  
The sounds around them had dimmed. Maddox was faintly aware of Zeale yelling, of the Walkers’ chants and Viansola leading Brom and Sabre in words and thoughts of binding. But they were white noise turned low, the bubble of a stream in the distance. It was just him and Varia, Dor’Goth and Her. She twisted Maddox’s lips into a smile, her eyes looking through his at another of her kind.   
  
“You were not alone at the start nor are you in eternity alone. How easily you forget the others at the making, even one that was closest to you. For your arrogance and forgetfulness you will know the despair and doom you claim monopoly on. Return him to us and receive mercy. Bred in the dark he may have been, but raised and molded by the cold he was. Release him, Dor’Goth, or I shall not forgive you.” Maddox spoke, his voice too his own but intermittently laced with another’s. But perhaps it was generous to say ‘ _spoke_ ’, for no words discernible to the others were audible. It was a series of breaths and sighs, growls and semi-telepathic understanding.   
  
The marks Maddox had written on Varia began to glow faintly with his own, the world around them falling away.   
  
Meanwhile, Viansola, while properly disturbed, focused her attention on keeping the two uninitiated to demon purifications from balking and getting killed. It was probably more out of shock than her words of warning that both stayed in place in their circles. Brom looked poised to run towards Varia while Sabre was set to flee as far as possible. Neither would have gotten very far in their quests. “Focus, you two. Remember what we discussed. You must focus or else he is lost and you are dead.” Viansola reminded them, pushing down the bile rising in her own throat at the blood splattered over her feet.   
  
_Friends_.   
  
They had once been friends, people she knew and loved. They were no more. It would be a heavy weight to bear, but they and she knew what was at stake, why they could not heed Zeale’s call to end Varia and Dor’Goth. “Focus on the Varia you know, the one you wish to save. Focus your mind, Brom, on your friend, your commander, on the things you know of him and project it out towards him. You must call to his spirit, ground him and give him strength. Sabre! Focus on the adversary you have faced, the man you have learned over the past weeks. Clearly define his violence, his prowess, his limitations. Focus, both of you.” Viansola led them in the chants she had jammed into their heads over the last few days, kneeling and drawing in the gore as Maddox was.   
  
Dor’Goths eyes met Maddox, though they seemed to peer right through him. “ **He is not yours, nor his, my love. He is mine. He belongs to the dark**.” Dor’Goth spoke calmly in return, the dark language overpowering Varias voice.   
  
Though something else had peaked through his words. Fear. But a fear of Her? That was not certain. The thunder above ripped loudly through the trees, but it had seemed to lessen in intensity quite suddenly. The shadows surrounding the circle pulsed and flexed, but their reach had begun to recede from the light of the candles. As Dor’Goth stood before them, the skin of mortal flesh began to tear from an unknown source. His knuckles split wide, human blood leaking freely onto the green below. Only then did Dor’Goth avert his gaze.   
  
Varias body jerked as if it had been struck, kneeling over into itself, twitching and writhing. Dor’Goth yelled, but the sounds around them had begun to overpower his voice. His head lifted, Varias normally attractive features twisted and dark in pain, leveling his demonic gaze upon Maddox once more.   
  
“ **You will never have him, no matter how hard you fight. He will not fall for you as you have for him. You cannot save him**.” He whispered through grit teeth, before he yelled out in pain. He had sounded like Varia then, no shadow of Dor’Goth lurking behind his words.   
  
Viansola urged Sabre and Brom on, willing their words to life. It was working, Dor’Goth was reacting to the magic there. But something about the way he was grabbing at his chest, leaving bloody finger trails behind made Maddox think it wasn’t just them attacking Dor’Goth, Varia was assaulting him as well.   
  
_Good. That’s what the damned thing deserves._  
  
Though it wasn’t a proper battle, knowing Varia was fighting back was enough to raise Sabre and Broms voice higher, give them more courage to their words. It was enough to swell Maddox’s chest with hope, and enough to drive Her back from his mind.   
  
Maddox pushed through Her influence, standing despite the heavy darkness around them, eyes wide and on Varia, watching as Dor’Goth jerked again, gasping and stuttering in his pain. He was killing him. Varia was the strongest person he knew, but he was losing. Dor’Goths entire attention was on Varia now, seeping inwards to fight him. Maddox rarely felt fear like this. He feared the dark and those that lurked within it, he feared losing Sabre, feared failing his mission. But he never felt this. The thought of Varia being torn to pieces, a result of clashing with a demon inside of himself. The thought of seeing those icy eyes, empty, lifeless…   
  
His throat tightened, and it took every ounce of will to keep his feet planted and to not surge forward and out of the barrier protecting him.   
  
“Varia!!”   
  
**-Varia-**  
  
Varia's mind flickered back to him as a frigid wind blew past him. His shoulders trembled with a shiver, before his eyes slowly opened. Endless darkness surrounded him, a void, empty of color and sound. Varia turned his head, his eyes straining to see past the black, but to no avail.   
  
_Am I dead?_  
  
His feet were on something that felt solid, but looking down gave him no more indication of where he was, or what was going on, just endless darkness all around him. Another gust of wind took him, roaring past him. He moved his hands up to his fur cloak, pulling it tighter around himself, before he turned towards the wind. It pushed his hair back, biting at his flesh, causing his eyes to water, the toes of his boots even began to frost over. But besides the discomfort it caused him, it smelled of Arcturus.   
  
The way ahead was dark with no end in sight, but Varia's legs began moving on their own, through the darkness and towards the wind. It felt like hours, days, weeks even. He walked for months in his mind, not stopping, never wavering. He needed to go there, needed to get to the cold. He needed the ice, and he was desperate for its touch.   
  
A light began to shine in the distance, small at first, but growing larger with every heavy step Varia took. As he drew near, he could make it out. It was the ice, it was Mal’Dyr, but that was not what he had hoped to find, not like this. Had the purification failed? Had Dor’Goth taken him completely? Leaving him to stare at what once was his from another realm, never able to leave, never able to touch the walls again.   
  
He stopped before it, his hand moving out to gently touch the window that stood in the dark before him. It was a mirror, a window, opening up and revealing Mal’Dyr on the other side. Finger tips gently touched the glass, and a ripple moved through it, bubbling.   
  
"This is your home, is it not?" Came a voice from the dark. Varia didn't turn towards it. He already knew who it was.   
  
"It was my home." He replied, his voice echoing through the dark.   
  
He stood so near the mirror his breath caused the surface to pulse softly. The last time he was trapped in his subconscious he wasn't fully aware of it. He was right now, though the thought seemed far, like a distant memory. Perhaps the purification hadn't failed, perhaps the binding had begun, and perhaps the hold wasn't as strong this time.   
  
"How are you here now? If you and I both are here, then my body…" he spoke softly. At his words, the shadows around him pulsed, before the formless figure of Dor’Goth appeared before him.   
  
The light from the mirror caught him, the wispy smoke that made his body pushing away from the light. Crimson eyes peered down at Varia as the man turned to face him.   
  
"Your shell is not gone yet. Your paramour has seen to that, and I am only here slightly. The rest is back there, with them." Varia huffed through his nose, pulling his eyes from Dor’Goth, gazing back out over the battlements of Mal’Dyr. "He will not allow you to take me. He will kill you if you do."   
  
Dor’Goth chuckled, the sound grating and loud, like lightning smashing into trees. "You believe him? Who do you think is more useful to him? A mortal, bound by flesh and blood, a man who has grown sick of war? No, my dear. He has intention for me, I can smell it on him."   
  
Varia scoffed at Dor’Goths words, though something about them made his stomach twist. "He is not a weak man you can tempt with power."   
  
Dor’Goth purred, the shadows that made his body pulsing forward, closing in around Varia, wrapping around his small frame. "No, perhaps not. But you are." Dor’Goth whispered close to Varia's ear, sending a shiver down his spine.   
  
"Perhaps the Demon of Arcturus would like to be just that. They made a mistake abandoning you. You are not the common trash they breed, you are Varia. You are everything Arcturus is and more. They fear you, and they should fear you. The Gods themselves are no rival for us together. I will bring Arcturus to its knees before you and all I ask in return is a taste of your power." Dor’Goth whispered, ghastly hands moving up to brush across Varia's shoulders.   
  
Despite the heavy cloak over him and his armor, it was a chilling touch, Varia felt it in his bones. "You didn't strike me as the sort of demon to bargain. Perhaps the Demon of Arcturus is already that. Perhaps you cannot force me to submit as easily as you thought." Varia replied.   
  
Dor’Goth recoiled at his words, a feral hiss leaving the blackened void where his mouth should have been. "You and I are brothers, Demon of Arcturus. Creatures of the dark, feared for our power. You and I together could assault the world that abused you and sit upon the corpses. What I offer is freedom, not another cage. You think the Hero of Er Rai offers more than the same? The bars are golden, but it is still a prison."   
  
Varia was unamused by Dor’Goths taunts, his expression remaining cold as he peered out onto the vastness that was Mal’Dyr. He wondered briefly if it was truly his home, or if it was just Dor’Goth dipping into his desires and showing him what he wanted to see. The mirror was giving off a coldness that welcomed him, his breath was visible in front of him, and his boots had frosted over. Everything about it seemed real, but this was Dor’Goth.   
  
If Dor’Goth had any damn sense, he would have shown him Maddox in the mirror instead. Mal’Dyr was cold and dark, yet welcoming to Varia. It was his home, his fortress. He was safe there, but he was also safe in Maddox's arms. Maddox was warm and exciting, passionate and fierce. Mal’Dyr was his home for many years, and he yearned for it, but where ever Maddox was now, was home. Despite the lies, despite the secrets, despite the cage Dor’Goth spoke of, Varia chose him. That was more than Arcturus ever gave him, the power to choose.   
  
Maddox was offering him much, a life without war, a life beyond Arcturus, a life he could make without others tainting it for their own. He was offering him freedom to forge his own path, freedom to vanish into the wilds and never return. He offered him much more than anyone had, and though it seemed that Varia had no choice, but to assist Maddox on his quest, he did. He made his decision.   
  
"What I desire, Demon, is the freedom to choose. And I have chosen Maddox, despite what you say." Varia's voice was harsh, filling the darkness that surrounded them.   
  
"You mean despite the truth to my words, my love." Dor’Goth whispered in return, fire meeting ice as their gazes locked.   
  
"You think yourself a god. The tales they will tell of me will have you killed." Varia said, his body turning from the mirror to face Dor’Goth finally, his head tilting back to gaze up at the demon who towered over him.   
  
"The tales will be wrong. You and I could rip open the bindings of the world and sit upon the thrones of Gods. We can be the new Gods, you and I. Then we may write our own tales." Dor’Goth whispered once again, his hand moving up, shadows brushing against the pale flesh of Varia's cheek.   
  
Varia's eyes narrowed, burning up into Dor’Goths, but he didn't recoil from his touch. Dor’Goth was afraid, that's what was happening. He feared Varia and what he could do to the demon. He was weakened still, unable to truly take control. That's why he was offering terms, that's why he was here now, his conscious split, unable to completely possess Varia's body as he had intended. The Graves had weakened him, and Varia could very well be more powerful than him in this moment. Varia could practically smell the fear on Dor’Goth, he could hear it hiding behind the condescending tone the demon took with him. It was so obvious, Dor’Goth couldn't beat him, not now. His only chance was to bargain, but Varia did not fall for words so easily.   
  
"I will erase you from this world, Demon. I see what you fear, and it is me." Varia said, before turning sharply. His hands lifted up, slamming against the mirror before him.   
  
The ripple was immense, a quaking power pulsing from the blow and billowing out into the darkness. Dor’Goth snarled, a guttural, vicious noise, before vanishing back into the darkness around them. Varia pay him no mind, instead slamming his fist forward against the mirror once again.   
  
There it was, the pain he expected. His knuckles throbbed with every blow he delivered, assuring him that Dor’Goth hadn't won, not yet. He was weak. If he had gained back the power he had lost, he would have torn Varia's soul from his body and taken the shell for himself. But he couldn't, he had to resort to attempting to make deals. He was frightened. The purification had failed, that much was certain, but the binding had not failed. No matter the secrets Maddox held from him, no matter the betrayal he had faced from his friends and country men, no matter how the world looked at him, he would not submit to Dor’Goth. He would see Arcturus fall, and he would do it without the demon.   
  
Blood splashed upwards against the trembling mirror, his knuckles splitting from the force of his blows. The mirror creaked against his fists, the rippling completely marring the vision of Mal’Dyr below. The air around him vibrated against his cheeks, a deep groaning sounding from the dark. His assault on the mirror seemed to be working, despite him not knowing what he hoped to accomplish.   
  
He did not want Maddox to kill him, he did not want to let him down. He had promised he would fight Dor’Goth, promised he wouldn't succumb to the call of an endless sleep. Maddox was using him, and for what, he didn't know. But Varia needed Maddox as well. Without Maddox, he could never be free. He could never destroy Arcturus alone, he could never beat Dor’Goth alone. He could not be alone with the voices in his head, he needed him. If it was a demon Maddox needed, he would be just that. He wouldn't give Maddox less than he gave Arcturus.   
  
With a final tremble, the mirror cracked under Varia's fist. The crack spread upwards, breaking the sight of the snow from Varia's vision. His eyes focused on the split, before his fist pushed forward with more force behind it. Over and over and over, blood openly spilling from his hand and sinking into the depths below him. He shouted out, but his voice had been swallowed by the roaring of the shadows around him, before it all crashed down.   
  
The mirror shattered, Mal’Dyr erased from its surface. The darkness around him followed suit, splintering off from where the mirror had been. It spread around Varia on all sides, below his feet, above his head, and behind him endlessly.   
  
Varia stepped back from where the mirror had been, his head lifting as the darkness shook, before suddenly quieting down. He hadn't realized he had been holding his breath, and as he waited for a climax that hadn't come, he finally released it. He felt his heart sink to the pit of his stomach as the darkness seemed to settle, no longer affected by his presence.   
  
His eyes had begun to lower when the quaking began. As the rumble began again, deeper this time, distant, a single piece of darkness fell from the rest, tumbling down and landing near Varia's feet. It had splintered like glass, revealing light shining through the hole it had left behind. Varias eyes were drawn to it, his hand reaching out towards the warmth it gave off.   
  
It all happened at once, the single piece had shifted everything. With a roaring crash, the rest of the darkness shattered, the pieces falling into oblivion. In its place was the E’letaesi, and Maddox. A deep breath left Varia, his eyes wide as he was suddenly yanked back to reality, torn from the prison of his own mind.   
  
His hands moved up to grasp at his chest, then his own face. He was on his knees before the others, the blood from his fists leaking down his fingers and staining the grass beneath him. He hadn't thought the pain would follow, but it had, assuring him what he had seen had been real.   
  
Dor’Goth was real just then, and the fear he felt in the demon was real. His eyes lifted to Maddox, holding the man in his gaze. He didn't care what Dor’Goth said, he didn't care about the secrets and the lies, not now. Maddox was before him, flesh and blood, worry etched into his features.   
  
Worry for him.   
  
Despite the purpose Maddox had for him, he cared. And so did Varia. He had never cared more about anyone, anything. In that moment, time was suspended, leaving only the two of them. He could live there forever, feed off of the warmth of Maddoxs touches. In that moment it was so clear to him. He didn't hate it, he didn't try to push it away, and he didn't try to forget.   
  
It happened so suddenly, a flash of hot pain shot through him. His body racked with it, causing him to double over, hands gripping at his stomach and chest. His body heaved as Dor’Goth fused to his very being, the demon screaming and clawing his way through him. He felt ill, he felt as if he would die. The burning inside of him was not going away. He could feel Dor’Goth trying to escape his fate, he could feel his strength pushing against his own. He could feel his body ripping and tearing as Dor’Goth tried to escape and claim him.   
  
He was so tired, and he wanted nothing more than to lay down and sleep right then and there, but Dor’Goth wouldn't allow it. Dor’Goth screamed in his mind, drowning out the voices inside of his head, drowning out the chanting of the walkers, and the shouts from the other elves. His eyes cracked open, wildly turning to every face before him and realizing that they were dead.   
  
Blood splashed across the grass, overwhelming him with the scent of copper and death. He felt his mind spinning, spiraling, desperate to embrace the darkness he was so used to.   
  
_Just let go. Let it take you. The pain will stop, the dreams, the screams…_  
  
That was not Dor’Goth in his mind, it was himself. He was tired, tired of fighting, killing, hurting. He wanted so desperately to let go, but his body would not allow it.   
  
Every breath he drew felt like it was shattering his ribs. The pain was almost unbearable, it threatened to consume him, threatened to take him over, to force him to submit. Dor’Goth was fighting viciously within him, desperate to escape, unwilling to accept the fate that was being brought to him. Varias hands lifted, grasping at his own hair as he pushed his forehead against the grass of the forest, his lips parted in a silent scream as he struggled.   
  
He could hear chanting in the distance, and his name being called. It was the elves, the ones who lived, Sabre and Brom… and Maddox. He did not open his eyes, but he knew he was calling him, urging him, begging him to fight it.   
  
As suddenly as it came, it vanished, a freeze taking him instead. It started on his forehead, followed by his chest, then finally spreading to his abdomen. The marks in blue flashed briefly, the cold soothing the pain.   
  
Varia embraced it, welcomed the ice as it flowed through his body. That same voice from the purification pool whispered to him, an ancient language that he did not know, but he felt protected, safe then. The whisper wrapped around him, cooling the hot pain and chasing away the dark that threatened to consume him once more.   
  
Dor’Goth quieted his screaming, slipping into a deep sleep once again, and the cold left him. His body trembled lightly as it adjusted, before he tipped over from where he was crouched, his consciousness finally leaving him.   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all as usual! Comments and kudos are very appreciated! I hope you enjoyed!


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